The Cowboys said they were going to change how they went about their business following what was the most disappointing and underachieving season in team history.
Well, owner Jerry Jones put some bark into this bite by going against his own nature and cutting controversial receiver Terrell Owens.
For Jones it was a sign that he is indeed listening to those in the organization who felt that Owens needed to be released so the Cowboys could go forward.
With the Cowboys opening a $1.1 billion stadium next year, Jones wants the Cowboys to start anew with a breath of fresh air and a new attitude.
They can do that now without Owens sucking up all the air in the Cowboys locker room.
"Terrell Owens was a very productive player who performed at a very high level for all three of his years here in Dallas," Jones said in a statement. "But we have made a decision to move forward without him. In the aftermath of the season, we talked about change. Some of what is changing involves the process and some of it involves people. This is a decision that was made based upon consideration for an entire team. We will move on now with a new team--a new attitude--and into a new stadium. The evaluation process and the prospect for change will continue at every level of the organization."
It was a tough decision for Jones because he brought Owens to Dallas after he was cut by the Eagles.
Jones did so against the wishes of then-coach Bill Parcells.
He did so despite Owens' history as a locker-room divider in Philadelphia and San Francisco.
Owens came to Dallas promising to be better person and teammate. He also came with the goal of helping the Cowboys reach the Super Bowl.
Though Owens had great individual success -- he topped the 1,000-yard receiver barrier and snared 10 touchdowns in each of his three years -- he was a failure in Dallas.
The Cowboys did not win a playoff game -- extending their streak of years without a playoff win to 12. And he was again cast as a locker-room cancer because of his infighting with quarterback Tony Romo, tight end Jason Witten and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett.
Jones delivered the news personally to Owens Wednesday night while he was in Fort Lauderdale at NFL meetings.
Owens was shocked and devastated. He also felt betrayed because of the support Jones had given him during his time in Dallas.
Owens, however, expressed appreciation for Jones and the Cowboys in a statement on his website.
"I want to thank Jerry Jones, coach (Wade) Phillips and the Dallas Cowboys for the opportunity to be a member of the team for the past three years," Owens said. "A big thanks to the fans -- you've been awesome! I look forward to the upcoming season and continuing to play in the NFL."
By Saturday, the 35-year-old Owens had signed a one-year deal with Buffalo.
