Jerry Jones got his wish. As we enter August and with the 2025-26 NFL season just over a month away, the Dallas Cowboys are the talk of the town and the lead story on every sports debate and talk show.
Thanks to a gross mishandling of the Micah Parsons contract situation, the superstar defender publicly announced he has requested a trade from the Cowboys, while putting the organization on blast for their handling of negotiations.
According to Parsons’ statement, Jerry and company attempted to ice out his agent, David Mulugheta, from the talks.
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That led to Parsons sharing his trade request and potentially shaking up the NFL landscape. But not so fast, because the Cowboys don’t have to give in to Parsons’ request, and they have contractual control for the next three seasons, with no plans of caving in.
Dallas Cowboys defensive end Micah Parsons (11) at training camp at the River Ridge Fields. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
“Regardless of the request, the Cowboys do not plan on moving Parsons,” Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram wrote.
“Even if an agreement on an extension does not come, Dallas has all of the control around Parsons’ future and is prepared to use the franchise tag to keep him around in 2026 and 2027 if it’s needed.”
MORE: NFC East exec mocks Jerry Jones, Cowboys in private text over Micah Parsons debacle
This sets up an interesting game of chicken. The Cowboys don’t have to do a thing, while all Parsons can do is sit and wait for the contract to expire and the opportunities for the franchise tag to go away. No one wants to sit out for three years.
Not only that, but Parsons would rack up millions in fines. If he’s not willing to take the $50,000 fine a day for holding out of training camp, he’s not going to want to give up game checks.
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons celebrates after the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
It’s an ugly situation, and a major distraction for those who just want to ball, so let’s hope Jerry can come to his senses and make something happen.
At the very least, give Mulugheta a call.
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