Micah Parsons‘ departure from the Dallas Cowboys to the Green Bay Packers stunned the NFL world, not only because of his elite talent, but because of what it revealed about the state of his relationship with the Cowboys‘ leadership.
While the trade itself has been headline news, new reporting has shed light on what happened behind the scenes – including a last effort from Parsons‘ camp to keep him in Dallas. That attempt, however, was firmly rejected by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
According to ESPN, just 48 hours before the trade was finalized, Parsons‘ agent, David Mulugheta, contacted Jones and the front office in an effort to keep negotiations alive.
Mulugheta made it clear that Parsons was still open to working things out and staying with the franchise that drafted him. He expressed flexibility, offering to meet in person or speak over a video call – whatever was necessary to come to terms.
Dallas closed the door despite final outreach
“Two days before Parsons became a Packer, the pass rusher’s representatives made one last-ditch effort with the Cowboys – in the form of an email,” ESPN reported.
A source familiar with the email said it acknowledged the tension and media narratives surrounding Parsons, but stressed the linebacker’s continued desire to reach an agreement with the team. The message emphasized a willingness to meet, talk, and put any past miscommunications behind them.
Despite that, the Cowboys didn’t waver.
“Jerry Jones responded to the message, saying the Cowboys were prepping a trade and if Parsons wanted to play in Dallas in 2025, he would have to do so on his fifth-year option. Parsons would become a free agent in 2026, but the team could also use the franchise tag to prevent his departure at that point. Parsons would have to decide his next move if the Cowboys couldn’t trade him, though a source close to him notes that Parsons never threatened to hold out and if healthy, he would have played on the option.”
By then, it was clear the organization had moved on. Jones reportedly had no interest in reopening talks, and no amount of compromise from Parsons’ side was going to reverse that course.
In the end, the Cowboys had one final window to mend the fractured relationship and keep one of the league’s most dominant defenders. They chose instead to move forward with the trade – a decision that will no doubt be evaluated for years to come.
Read the full article here
