Jerry Jones both admitted he’s taking a major risk and delivered a message to critics on Monday sitting beside his new Cowboys head coach Brian ScH๏τtenheimer.

The NFL world was stunned by the news that Jones was elevating his offensive coordinator after parting ways with Mike McCarthy, as the 51-year-old has never been a head coach and was not considered a candidate for any of the other six head coaching vacancies.

But Jones, 82, struck a defiant tone during a news conference introducing ScH๏τtenheimer, whose hire has left both fans and team alumni dismayed.

“I get my proverbial ᴀss kicked over needing people in my comfort zone,” Jones told reporters. “Without this thing being about me in any way, if you don’t think I can’t operate out of my comfort zone, you’re so wrong it’s unbelievable.

“This is as big a risk as you can take. As big a risk as you can take. No head coaching experience.”

ScH๏τtenheimer, who says he has an “incredible” relationship with Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, joined the franchise as an analyst in 2022 before becoming offensive coordinator a year later. He previously was the offensive coordinator for the Jets, Rams, Seahawks and University of Georgia.

He is the son of longtime NFL head coach Marty ScH๏τtenheimer, who went 200-126-1 during the regular season and made the playoffs in 13 of his 21 seasons leading Cleveland, Kansas City, Washington and San Diego. The elder ScH๏τtenheimer was 5-13 in the playoffs and never reached a Super Bowl.

“We know what osmosis is and we know what ScH๏τty grew up around,” Jones said, per NFL.com. “Frankly, from the standpoint of ScH๏τty, those X hairs crossed. ScH๏τty might never had been in our mirror, our view, had he not joined us to be with Mike as a consultant three years ago. … I’ve sat in handful of meetings with ScH๏τty. I’ve listened, I’ve watched him. I’ve watched him have deference to his head coach. I’ve watched him have deference to experienced guys like [defensive coordinator Mike] Zimmer. … I’ve watched him bite his lip sometimes when he didn’t necessarily agree with that direction. But he bit his lip, as his daddy would have told him to bite your lip.”

Jones lauded ScH๏τtenheimer’s experience, having begun his career as an ᴀssistant on the Rams staff in 1997.

“You go around to the countless number of coaches that ScH๏τty has served on staff with and been around. The countless players. How often do you have someone that has 25 years of working through the human relationship?” Jones said.

“How often do you have a chance to take advantage of all of that at 50 years old, which is a puppy. Yet he’s had 25 years being around the kind of things he’s going to have to draw on to be the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. I like his baggage. I like his baggage. I like that experience.”