FRISCO, Texas — Jerry Jones didn’t repeat his colorful words for confirmation.
The Dallas Cowboys team owner also didn’t dispute the leaked report of his word choice during the NFL’s owners-only session Tuesday evening in New York City. Instead, he all but confirmed it.
ESPN’s Seth Wickersham and Don Van Natta had reported that Jones told Patriots team owner Robert Kraft “don’t f*** with me” during a conversation about NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s contract and compensation.
“Excuse me?” Kraft replied, per ESPN.
“Don’t mess with me,” Jones reportedly responded.
In his regularly scheduled Friday radio interview, Jones explained.
“You express yourself with people you know and people you’re around a lot … in different ways,” Jones said on Dallas radio station 105.3 The Fan. “I would say that in this particular case, it’s probably accurate that I did express myself in probably a way that’s not in good taste.”
Jones said he wasn’t surprised nor disappointed that the conversation was leaked.
“I’ve just gotten used to the fact that when you’re saying something, it’s highly likely it could be being recorded or it could be being heard and will be repeated,” Jones said. “In a meeting that you would think would really have a lot of real exclusivity or protection so you could really express your feelings — it’s not surprising to me that it would get out.
“The interest or awareness I have creates a lot of look-see.”
Jones also clarified his stance in the conversation that elicited colorful language. He said he was not opposed to an extension for Goodell, whose current five-year contract is worth roughly $200 million and runs through 2024, per The New York Times. Roughly 90% of the potential compensation comes in bonuses, the Times reported, which were tied in part to results of the league’s 2020 labor and TV rights deals negotiations.
Jones said he’s a “real supporter” of Goodell, whom he believes has “done outstanding.” He said he seeks not to replace him but to reconsider the financial structure.
“What you heard from me was an issue with the structure — with how we were going to address the commissioner and his success,” Jones said. “I was basically expressing myself in that area. Not my support of Roger. As a matter of fact, I actually stood up and made a nomination for his potential extension.
“And then when I heard the structure of how we were going to approach it, then I didn’t agree with that.”
Follow Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein on Twitter @JoriEpstein