Jay Ratliff and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones have "volcanic" exchange, sources say

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones looks on before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on December 9, 2012 in Cincinnati, Ohio. / Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Due to groin, ankle and foot problems, former Pro Bowl nose tackle Jay Ratliff hasn't played for the Dallas Cowboys since Nov. 18 vs. Cleveland. He missed his seventh game of the year when the Cowboys kicked off Sunday at Cincinnati.

But he was "active"' in a sense last Sunday after Dallas beat the Eagles, Ratliff engaging in what sources call a "volcanic"' and jaw-to-jaw exchange with none other than Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, CBSDFW.com reports.

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"They're both passionate men and great men and they want to win, that's all it is," one source said. "But they were in each other's faces. People had to intervene."

In six games, Ratliff has 25 tackles and 10 quarterback pressures and no sacks. Jones habitually approaches players in the postgame locker room to either congratulate or console. In the case of Ratliff - who a year ago signed a five-year, $40-million extension but arguably hasn't played at that level since - Jones started the conversation by saying, "We need you."

Ratliff's response was a heated one. Jones, 70, did not back down even as the 6-4, 303-pound player rose to physically challenge him and then made derisive mention of Jones' age.

Ratliff was a rather brooding presence this week at the team's Valley Ranch headquarters as he spend another week not practicing. His long-term future with the club is unclear. Given the tragic circumstances that have Ratliff's replacement, Josh Brent, in jail on intoxicated/manslaughter charges, the Cowboys could use the help of a healthy Pro Bowl-caliber player - to angrily confront opponents, however, and not his own owner.

[infoworker]

I feel bad for the coach and the GM in this situation, but not for either the $40M bench warmer or the owner that can't stay out of the locker room, and can't stay out of controversy.

[sneefa]

Dallas deserves a better owner.

Maybe one who doesn't ruin the team as GM

[ludvig1-2009]

Reminds me of high school. Due to my own stupidity I didn't do what the coach told me to do (Run a half mile before you do your first hurdle). I walked one lap and then took on the hurdle and pulled a groin muscle. I was then begging off every meet to not run and he was telling me I should have joined the pep squad to which I told him there is no pep squad for track. Finally he told me if I didn't run in this meet I would not letter. I told him I'd do the quarter mile but I couldn't do the high hurdles. I then ran the quarter mile and thinking I would slow down our top guy told him that he should start in front of me in our lane. I almost ran him over when the gun went off as he apparently paced himself and I didn't. Coming around the final turn I thought a competitor was behind me so I blocked him off. I was limping the whole way. After limping to the finish line, coach told me I didn't have to run anymore that year as it was obvious I was hurting.

[BlueStarDaddy]

Jerry Jones' and others silk gloves, baby-sittin' and pandering players feelings to play when they are not feeling like it to do so contributes to the atmosphere that ultimately leads to loosing teams, loosing franchises and loosers in general

[pedalit]

the only thing lost here is spelling

[mauraid]

Jerry Jones' and others' pressuring and cajoling and threatening players to play when they are not able to do so contributes to the atmosphere that ultimately leads to tragedies like the one this past week. Drugging of all sorts on every level to stay on the field.