OXNARD - Without putting an exact timeline on when the NFL might return to Los Angeles, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Saturday the reality of professional football returning to the City of Angels is as close as it's ever been.
"I say that not just wishing," Jones said. "I say that technically because I am aware of some things that make sense."
Jones would not elaborate, but seeing as he is one of the most influential owners in the NFL and his son sits on the league's stadium committee, his insight carries enormous weight.
"There are some viable ways for a team, or teams, to be in Los Angeles," Jones said. "And we've got some very talented, very qualified people who want to be a part of it that are not a part of the league right now. And we've obviously got people within the league that want this very much."
Jones being one of them "" he was born in El Segundo and he still has family in the area.
The Cowboys owner is in Oxnard overseeing his club's training camp, which kicks off Sunday. And having spent many a summer between Oxnard and Thousand Oaks - the longtime former training camp home of the Cowboys "" he is keenly interested in the NFL returning to the second-biggest television market in the country.
And he dismisses any thought the NFL is simply using Los Angeles as leverage to motivate current NFL cities to build new stadiums for their teams.
"I've never, ever been a part of any meeting or committee, ever, that didn't want "" and as quickly as we could "" a team in L.A." Jones said. "I've heard the same thing - that (L.A.) can be (used) as a threat (for) teams moving out here and what have you. But that's not right.
"I can speak for everyone I've ever talked to, we always preferred to get a team here."
Currently there are two stadium in projects in Los Angeles prepared to lure an existing team here "" Phil Anschutz's Famers Field project adjacent to Staples Center and Ed Roski's City of Industry proposal.
Farmers Field, though, is seen as the preferred site within the NFL.
Jones praised Farmers Field and disagrees with reports that his league might be souring on it.
"I have no misgiving at all about it. It's an outstanding (project) with outstanding people involved in it," Jones said. "Philip Anschutz is an outstanding individual and would be an asset in any way to any group to (he's) involved with."
With the league hesitant to expand, a current team would have to agree to move to Los Angeles.
At this point, the St. Louis Rams, San Diego Chargers, Oakland Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars are the most likely candidates.
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