Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones is once again in the spotlight-not for championship pursuits, but for his latest controversy involving contract negotiations with star linebacker Micah Parsons. Known across the NFL as a shrewd and often tight-fisted businessman, Jones has stirred backlash after publicly claiming that he doesn’t even know the name of Parsons’ agent, David Mulugheta, and has instead dealt directly with the All-Pro defender.
During a recent press interaction, Jones downplayed the role of Mulugheta, stating that he has spent several hours in direct conversations with Parsons about a potential extension.
But this bold approach didn’t sit well with NFL veterans, who were quick to criticize the Cowboys owner for attempting what they see as a tactical end-run around Parsons’ representation.
Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson rip into Jones’s strategy
On the latest episode of the Nightcap podcast, NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe didn’t hold back his disbelief. Laughing at Jones’s comments, Sharpe pointed out the clear inconsistency in the owner’s claim, noting that Mulugheta was already involved in Parsons’ rookie contract dealings.
“Jerry thinks he slick… You know this man has an agent. Why are you trying to circumvent him? …That ain’t how hiring works, Jerry,” Sharpe said.
Sharpe’s co-host, former Bengals star Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, echoed the sentiment. He argued that Jones may be trying to leverage Parsons’ inexperience with contract language in order to secure a team-friendly deal.
“They play hard ball,” Johnson explained. “They are going to undermine you, and they going to lowball you off the rip, every single time, no matter how good you are, unless you’re the quarterback.”
Parsons responds and fans rally behind him
In response to Jones’s comments, Parsons didn’t stay silent. The Cowboys defensive cornerstone took to social media to voice his displeasure, reposting a message that labeled Jones’s behavior as “blatant disrespect.”
“Facts!! David is the best and I will not be doing any deal without @DavidMulugheta involved! Like anyone with good sense I hired experts for a reason. There is no one I trust more when it comes to negotiating contracts than David! There will be no backdoors in this contract negotiation,” he wrote on X.
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