Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones met with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Wednesday.
Jones and his wife, Gene, have been in Italy with a contingent from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Jones, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 5, was joined by six previous Hall inductees, including Curtis Martin, Ronnie Lott and Franco Harris, in his meeting with the pope.
"I am pleased to greet you, the members and directors of the American Pro Football Hall of Fame and welcome you to the Vatican," Pope Francis said in a release sent out by the Hall of Fame. "Teamwork, fair play and the pursuit of personal excellence are the values -- in the religious sense, we can say virtues that have guided your commitment, on and off the field."
"These values meet the needs of our brothers and sisters and combat the exaggerated individualism, indifference and injustice that hold us back from living as one human family."
"What a magnificent thing for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and to have him recognize pro football," Jones said, per the release. "When I think of the millions who know our spiritual leader, it is very special to think that we had his audience on behalf of the game."
The group also includes representatives from the Hall's board of trustees, of which Jones is a member, according to the Dallas Morning News.
Follow the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Twitter @profootballhof.
