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Former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Micah Parsons is now a Green Bay Packer, but that hasn’t ended scrutiny of the controversial trade. If you’ve been living on another planet and haven’t heard the news, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones refused to entertain any offers from Parsons’ agent of record, David Mughuleta, after saying that he and Parsons had come to a handshake deal in a private meeting back in March.
Parsons says that when he told Jones to follow up with his agent after the conversation, further negotiations stalled. Ultimately, Jones, who is also the Cowboys’ GM, sent Parsons packing, a relief to the quarterbacks in the NFC East who would have to evade Parsons multiple times a year.
The trade instantly became the second most controversial in Dallas this year, after Mavs star Luka Dončić was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in February. But it turns out that Parsons’ Cowboys teammates might not mind as much as you’d think.
In a report about the trade, Sports Illustrated writer Albert Breer says that while Cowboys stars Dak Prescott, Cee Dee Lamb and Zack Martin all withstood protracted negotiations until their deals were signed, they are popular players in the locker room.
Parsons was not, according to the report. He was described by some of his former teammates as “self-centered” and “egotistical.” Breer also referenced unspecified fallout from Parsons’ The Edge with Micah Parsons podcast. On one episode, he excluded Prescott from his top 5 NFL quarterbacks.
Parsons, 26, was considered a significant part of the Cowboys’ defense. The team drafted him 12th out of Penn State in 2021. In four seasons, he had 12 or more sacks and was named to the Pro Bowl each year. But his stats declined in the playoffs. In four playoff games, he recorded 8 solo tackles, 10 assists and one sack.
At some point after the salary negotiations became the off-season’s biggest story, Jones became more open to trading Parsons, who demanded a trade in August. The team and Parsons were reportedly far apart on the length of the deal as much as the money, with Parsons seeking more than $40M per year. In the trade, the Cowboys get DT Kenny Clark and two first-round draft picks. The Packers made Parsons the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history with a four-year $188M deal, including $120M guaranteed.
“We can win, in our minds, more than had we gone the other route and signed him,” Jones said. “That’s not a negative on Micah, that’s just unique to our circumstances.”
In his comments about the trade, Prescott didn’t sound too upset. At a press conference, he said that the Cowboys were focused on their opening night matchup with the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday and that he felt the deal worked out well for all involved.
“I’m not going to say we’re better. We’ve got to go out there and prove it,” Prescott said. “We had to prove it even if he was on this team, so I’m not going to say that by any means.”
He added, “But I know what adding a guy like Kenny Clark, adding a true leader, a real man that’s going to only elevate this team, who’s been a Pro Bowl player and is excited about being here [means].”
Parsons, who personally consoled a kid via FaceTime who burst out crying on social media when his mother told him about the trade, said he was happy to have been part of the Cowboys organization.
“I never wanted this chapter to end, but not everything was in my control,” Parsons wrote. “My heart has always been here, and it still is. Through it all, I never made any demands. I never asked for anything more than fairness. I only asked that the person I trust to negotiate my contract be part of the process.”
He concluded, “This is a sad day, but not a bitter one. I’ll never forget the joy of draft night, the adrenaline of running out of the tunnel, or the brotherhood shared with my teammates, coaches and the staff who prepared me for every single game. Those memories are mine forever.”
While opinions are mixed on who got the better deal, we won’t have to wait long to see the teams in head-to-head competition as Parsons and his new Green Bay team will face the Cowboys in Dallas in week four of the NFL season.
See social media’s reaction to the trade below.