The Dallas Cowboys are on the verge of entering the 2025 campaign without their superstar linebacker Micah Parsons at their disposal.

All offseason long, Parsons has been embroiled in a high-profile contract dispute with Cowboys’ owner and general manager Jerry Jones, and with Week 1 less than two weeks away, the two sides have made little progress towards a new deal.

This isn’t the first time Jones has taken his time to hand a superstar player a new contract, and it probably won’t be the last. With Parsons requesting a trade, though, this situation feels different. Jones isn’t blinking, though, and he even went as far as to cite legendary running back Emmitt Smith when taking a shot at Parsons.

Jerry Jones Continues to Bash Micah Parsons

Since being selected by the Cowboys with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Parsons has been one of the most productive players in the league.

He’s racked up 52.5 sacks over the first four seasons of his career, earning four Pro Bowl selections, two All-Pro First Team honors, and the 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year Award for his efforts.

As he prepares the enter the final year of his contract, it’s not hard to see why Parsons believes he is deserving of a massive pay raise.

And yet, Jones has not been willing to meet his demands.

It’s resulted in a tense training camp, with Parsons reporting to the team but refusing to practice until he gets a new deal.

Well, Week 1 is quickly approaching, and if there’s a time for the two sides to come together and find common ground on a contract extension, it’s now. And yet, all reports indicate that there have been no meaningful discussions on a contract for weeks. When asked about the situation, Jones didn’t seem too worried, noting that Dallas managed to win when they faced a similar situation with Smith back in 1993.

“That’s his right,” Jones said on “The Stephen A. Smith Show “when asked about the possibility of Parsons sitting out Week 1. “Emmitt wasn’t here either. And guess what? We still won a Super Bowl.”

Jerry Jones, Cowboys Not Blinking in Contract Stare Down with Micah Parsons

GettyCowboys owner Jerry Jones is attempting to play hardball with Micah Parsons amid the star’s push for a trade.

While Smith did return after missing the first two games of the Cowboys’ 1993 season, Jones is effectively saying he thinks Dallas can win without Parsons.

It’s a gutsy move, but that’s what Jones has been about for the entirety of his time in charge of the Cowboys. Whether or not it will pay off, though, remains to be seen.

The problem with Jones’ logic is that, while Dallas was successful early in his tenure, they haven’t gone on a deep postseason run in years.

Accomplishing that in 2025 without Parsons seems very nearly impossible, given how important a piece of their defense he is.

Jones’ strategy with Parsons is one we have seen him utilize before, but he’s running the risk of seriously hurting his 2025 squad by keeping the team’s best defender off the field for them.