In a pregame incident no one saw coming, members of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’s family were involved in a car accident outside Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, ahead of the much-anticipated game against the San Francisco 49ers. According to reports, the Jones family was traveling in a caravan when the second vehicle, carrying Jerry’s daughter Charlotte, his son Jerry Jr., and his grandson Shy Anderson Jr., was unexpectedly struck by a rising barricade near the stadium entrance.
Both Charlotte and Jerry Jr. were examined by the Cowboys’ medical staff on-site and were able to make it to the game’s kickoff after the scare, albeit with potential injuries. Charlotte reportedly sustained a rib injury, while Jerry Jr. was assessed for a possible head injury, though both were cleared to relocate to the visiting owner’s suite.
The 82-year-old Cowboys owner was traveling in another vehicle in the caravan along with his eldest son, Stephen Jones, who serves as the team’s executive vice president and CEO. This unexpected incident happened just hours before the Cowboys took the field for their prime-time showdown.
The accident temporarily cast a shadow over the high-stakes game for the Jones family, who remain integral to the Cowboys’ operations and identity. Jerry Jr. and Charlotte both hold key executive positions within the Cowboys organization, with Charlotte also gaining widespread attention this year for her involvement in the Netflix docuseries America’s Sweethearts, which provided a rare glimpse into the world of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
The unsettling incident was handled quickly, but it’s a reminder of the personal challenges that can emerge even for one of the most well-known and closely-watched families in sports. As the Cowboys proceeded with their game against the 49ers, the Jones family could take some relief in being together in the owner’s suite, thanks to the quick response of the team’s medical staff.
