Friday was all about Drew Pearson, Charles Haley and Larry Allen, a time for the Cowboys organization to celebrate their contibutions.
But the topic of who should be next to go into the Ring of Honor is for every day. It's a never-ending debate. Of course, the one-man panel who decides the inductions wasn't going to spill the beans. Jerry Jones said he didn't have a list of names made up for who would follow this year's three inductees.
With the induction of Haley, who the first Ring of Honor member who wasn't in essence a career Cowboy, Jones has opened the door to players who had major contributions elsewhere. Deion Sanders, a 2011 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee, played as many seasons with the Cowboys as any other team, and won a Super Bowl in his first year in Dallas.
But Jones said this year's choices aren't a reflection of where he might be leaning in the future.
"Don't take anything I'm doing here as a precedent or a philosophy," Jones said. "Again, I look at what I was coached by Tex (Schramm) to consider, and that is when they're looked at, do you see Cowboy? And when they're looked at, did they make that kind of meaningful contribution?"
Upon the unveiling of the names of Pearson, Haley and Allen, the Ring will include 18 players and two contributors, Schramm and Tom Landry.
Among those who could have the best case in coming years are safety Darren Woodson, the club's all-time leading tackler, and defensive end Harvey Martin, the all-time leader in sacks for the franchise, among others.
Jones said he takes the responsibility seriously.
"There's no, really, right (way), because it's subjective," Jones said. "Of course we've got a storied franchise and we've got a lot of people that in their way, you'd say, they deserve to be there."
