This past Friday, Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones claimed that one reason he traded star pass-rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers for two first-round draft picks and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark in late August was that the Cowboys “didn’t exactly win the Super Bowl” with Parsons on the roster.
Following Sunday night’s thrilling 40-40 tie between the Packers and Cowboys that occurred at Dallas’ AT&T Stadium, Jones explained why he was willing to part ways with Parsons after the Cowboys signed quarterback Dak Prescott to a four-year contract extension reportedly worth $240M with $231M guaranteed in September 2024.
Jerry Jones makes big statement about Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons
“It’s very simple: Dak was indispensable, in my mind… and Micah wasn’t,” Jones said, per Tommy Yarrish of the Cowboys’ website. “It’s just numbers, it’s that easy. And that’s not personal at all… the numbers just weren’t there with Micah.”
NFL decision-makers seem to think Jones could have gotten more for Parsons’ services had the Cowboys pulled the trigger on a trade before the 2025 draft got underway. As part of the August transaction, Green Bay signed Parsons to a four-year, $188M contract that included $136M guaranteed.
“Micah is outstanding and rare,” Jones said before kickoff of Sunday’s matchup, as shared by Brigid Kennedy of Sports Illustrated. “But I believe our best chance for a Super Bowl with Dak Prescott and the makeup of our supporting cast, I believe our best chance is in the numbers. I’ve always been right, or had the best chance of being right, when the numbers were right.”
Micah Parsons rips Jerry Jones for trade events
Following the tie, Parsons indicated he is just fine with being a member of the Packers, considering the way his working relationship with Jones came to an end.
“The emotions for me, being in Dallas, went away the moment they traded me,” Parsons said, per Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk. “When [Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst] said he was trading for me, he said, ‘Let me call [Clark] before [the news] breaks.’ The importance for the organization in that, like, I didn’t get to talk to my owner. The person that drafted me [in 2021]. I found out through my agent. To me, that emotion side was pointless because the same way he called me into his office as a man, he couldn’t tell me as a man. That emotion side was gone; it was more of a respect factor at this point.”
Parsons and the 2-1-1 Packers are now in their bye week. Meanwhile, the 1-2-1 Cowboys next play at the New York Jets (0-3) on Oct. 5.