Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones decided to ship superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers after contract negotiations spoiled and the relationship between the two sides fractured beyond repair.

The Cowboys now have to turn their focus to the NFL season opener against the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in just four days, but first, Jerry wanted to say his piece one more time.

When speaking about the trade, Jones couldn’t help but mention that the team has the highest-paid player in the league, star quarterback Dak Prescott.

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Jones said he is “proud” to have Prescott under center, but he also used the Parsons trade as a reason to indirectly put even more pressure on Prescott’s shoulders entering the new season.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at AT&T Stadium / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

“We have the highest-paid player in the NFL at quarterback. We made that commitment last year and we’re proud we made it,” Jones said after trading away Parsons, via the Dallas Morning News. “It had everything to do with this decision [to trade Parsons]. Everything. It gives us every opportunity with Dak Prescott and Lamb and the base that we’ve got to win now.

“I’m not so sure this would’ve been the result had we not had Dak. But the fact that we have Dak, we need to stop the run. We really do. We need to get the ball back.”

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There you have it. The Cowboys need Dak to get the ball, and need Dak to work magic when the ball is in his hands. Jones consistently brings up the fact that Dak is the highest paid player in the league, so his comments were intentional.

If the Cowboys fail to produce in 2025, even with a questionable defense on paper, Jones is already preparing to direct the blame to Prescott. It will be interesting to see what happens if Jones feels Prescott doesn’t live up to his contract now that he put the spotlight directly on him.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and owner Jerry Jones (before the game against the San Francisco 49ers / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

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