If Jerry Jones is laughing, the joke is on him.

Jerry Jones endorses Jon Bon Jovi as an NFL owner

Based on a tweet from the Dallas Morning News, NFL.com reported Tuesday that the Dallas Cowboys owner laughed when asked whether the Cowboys were working on a contract to bring former Chicago Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher out of retirement and into a Dallas Cowboys uniform.

Then, Jones responded simply, "No."

The Cowboys are in search of a middle linebacker to replace Sean Lee, who suffered a season-ending knee injury during team offseason training activities last week. The names of Urlacher and former New Orleans Saints/New York Jets linebacker Jonathan Vilma were mentioned as possible replacements.

Chicago Bears release of Devin Hester leaves Brian Urlacher with bad taste

NFL.com reported that the Cowboys were just exploring all their options, which included watching Urlacher and Vilma on video to gauge their level of play before both called it quits.

Jones has developed a reputation for created dramatic story lines ahead of building championship teams. He gave quarterback Tony Romo a highly questionable six-year contract extension last year worth $108 million. He has traded away draft picks to sign the likes of mediocre wide receiver Roy Williams.

He drafted troubled wide receiver Dez Bryant after once upon a time passing on troubled wide receiver Randy Moss.

That may have made the Urlacher rumor a little more believable.

Cowboys defensive tackle Henry Melton, a former teammate of Urlacher's with the Bears has been campaigning for the Cowboys to give Urlacher a look. Urlacher, who retired before the 2013 season, is a year removed from the physical pounding he took on a weekly basis for 13 years.

Now an analyst for Fox Sports, Urlacher was said to have an interest in returning, which could make Jones' laughter an ego-bruising moment for the 2005 NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

The one piece of good news from the Lee incident was that the NFL Players Association decided against pursuing any action against the Cowboys because of Lee's season-ending injury.

Would the Dallas Cowboys be off base in offering an invitation to Brian Urlacher to participate in training camp? Comment below or tell us @SportsWN.