Cowboys owner Jerry Jones makes blunder on camera, says he'll hire "m****t" to dress up as team executive who recently passed away

The Dallas Cowboys' training camp got underway on Wednesday with the annual camp-opening press conference. Team owner Jerry Jones was in attendance alongside head coach Mike McCarthy.

During the press conference, Jones was asked about Larry Lacewell, the former Cowboys Director of College and Pro Scouting, who passed away in May aged 85. While paying homage to Lacewell, Jones made a huge blunder, using the m-word to describe a short person. He said:

"Lace held court out here. I'm going to get me somebody, a m****t, to stand up there with me and dress him up like Lace and think Lace is still out here helping us. Look at the practice with us. But, you know, we all need our props. A little memory that goes with him."

The Little People of America (LPA), a nonprofit organization that provides support to people of short stature, has publicly condemned the use of the m-word. In a statement released in 2015, the LPA said:

"The word 'm****t; was never coined as the official term to identify people with dwarfism, but was created as a label used to refer to people of short stature who were on public display for curiosity and sport. Today, the word 'm****t' is considered a derogatory slur."

Jones saying that he would hire a "m****t" to dress up as Lacewell did not seem to come from a place of malice. But the Cowboys owner should have certainly avoided using the term.

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Jerry Jones publicly backs head coach Mike McCarthy

Several rumors have suggested that Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is on thin ice and the team is looking to hire Sean Payton for the 2023 season. However, Jerry Jones shot them down by backing the former Packers play-caller.

"I want to be real clear, [McCarthy] wouldn't be sitting here if I didn't think he was the man to lead this team to a Super Bowl. I like this staff. And frankly, I like the makeup of the players one year later that were on this team last year and I like the new players that we've brought on."

McCarthy will be a relieved man after publicly receiving a vote of confidence from Jerry Jones. But privately, he will be aware that failure to make a substantial run in the playoffs this season could see him get axed, especially with Sean Payton available.