Dallas Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons has asked to be traded.
On Friday, Parsons shared his announcement on social media and explained the events that led him to want to leave the team he has always admired and that selected him in the first round of the 2021 draft.
“Yes, I wanted to be here,” Parsons stated. “I did everything possible to show my desire to be a Cowboy and wear the star on my helmet. I wanted to perform in front of the best fans in sports and help make this America’s team again—the team my dad and I cheered for while growing up in Harrisburg, PA.
“Sadly, I no longer wish to stay here. I don’t want to be part of secret negotiations without my agent being there. I’m tired of being criticized for getting injured while giving my all for our fans and teammates. I also don’t want false stories about me spread through the media anymore. I had hoped that staying quiet would lead to something positive.”
Both parties recognize that they haven’t talked about extending the contract. This season, Parsons will earn $21.324 million under the fifth-year option of his rookie deal as a defensive end, which is less than the reported $24.007 million he would make if he played as a linebacker.
The team did not comment on Parsons’ request. The Cowboys can keep his rights until 2028 by using the franchise tag, but the last year of this tag would cost them the figure for a quarterback.
In the past four months, the relationship between Parsons and the Cowboys has soured partly because owner and general manager Jerry Jones thought they were close to an agreement that would make Parsons the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL, according to several sources.
Parsons mentioned that his agent, David Mulugheta, spoke to the Cowboys about a contract extension before last year, but the team was focused on Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, who ended up being the highest-paid quarterback and second-highest-paid wide receiver, respectively.
After the 2024 season wrapped up, Parsons told Mulugheta to let the team know they were ready to start negotiations.
“My agent advised me to wait for other deals to be finalized since prices would only increase. However, I didn’t care and wanted to ensure my long-term future with the Cowboys,” Parsons stated.
While in Abu Dhabi, Parsons called Jones to set up a meeting. On social media, Parsons mentioned it was about “leadership,” but the discussion quickly shifted to contract talks.
Parsons acknowledged that he and Jones had a back-and-forth conversation. Later, at the NFL owners meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, Jones said they agreed on the contract’s length, total amount, and guaranteed money.
Since that meeting, pass rushers Myles Garrett (four years, $160 million), Maxx Crosby (three years, $106.5 million), and T.J. Watt (three years, $123 million) have all signed extensions. Watt now holds the title of the highest-paid non-quarterback with a salary of $41 million per season.
In the past, Jones has directly collaborated with important players on their contracts. Two years ago, a conversation with Zack Martin led to the All-Pro guard ending his holdout and signing a two-year extension for more money.
Parsons noted that he informed Jones that Mulugheta would reach out to the Cowboys. However, when the agent made contact, the team believed a deal was already settled.
“My agent informed him that wasn’t true and also reached out to Stephen Jones, the executive vice president,” Parsons stated. “Once again, the team chose to stay quiet. At that point, we decided to let the team contact us whenever they felt ready to discuss things. Yet, my agent still hasn’t received any calls, emails, or texts about starting a negotiation.”
During the opening news conference at camp, Stephen Jones admitted he hadn’t spoken with Mulugheta.
Parsons arrived at training camp on time but has been holding in his situation. After the first practice, he mentioned feeling some tightness in his back and said he would participate more as his back improved. He hasn’t been getting treatment but has been attending meetings, working out, and joining practice.
Jerry Jones surprised many at the start of camp when he said, “Just because we sign him doesn’t mean he’s guaranteed to stay with us. He missed six games last year [actually four]. I remember signing a player who was the highest-paid at his position in the league only for him to get injured for two-thirds of the season with Dak Prescott. So there are a lot of things to consider when thinking about committing and guaranteeing money.”
As he addressed fans Saturday before practice, Jones was heckled by fans that yelled “Pay Micah!”
“I heard it light, but not compared to how I heard them say, ‘Pay Lamb [last year],'” Jones said a day later of the negotiations from last year. “That was a faint little sound compared to the way they were hollering last year, ‘Pay Lamb.’ … Whoever’s not in, you can count on a few hollering that. But it was a big loud chant last year on Lamb.”
Earlier today, Stephen Jones responded to the fans’ shouts, stating, “It doesn’t change anything. We want to pay Micah, too. He needs to want to be paid as well.”
On Friday, Parsons shared that “after dealing with constant criticism and all the stories about me, I’ve made a tough choice: I no longer want to play for the Dallas Cowboys. I have personally submitted my trade request to Stephen Jones.”
Parsons’ teammates showed their support on social media. At least three of them—Trevon Diggs, DeMarvion Overshown, and Juanyeh Thomas—changed their profile pictures to feature Parsons. Lamb, who had a long negotiation last summer, also voiced his opinion on X.
“Never fails dawg. Just pay the man what you owe him. No need for any extra drama.”
