Micah Parsons, the superstar edge rusher now with the Green Bay Packers, is gearing up for an emotional return to AT&T Stadium to face his former team, the Dallas Cowboys, on Sunday night. Traded to Green Bay on August 28 in a blockbuster deal that sent three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round picks (2026 and 2027) to Dallas, Parsons is approaching the matchup with a mix of confidence and nostalgia. The four-year, $188 million contract with $136 million guaranteed—making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history—marks a new chapter for the 26-year-old, but his ties to Dallas remain strong.
“I think Dallas loves me,” Parsons said during a Wednesday press conference. “I think they’re going to give me a good round of applause. There’s no hard feelings there, at least from me.” Despite the messy contract dispute that led to his departure from the Cowboys (1-2), Parsons is downplaying the personal stakes of the game, treating it as “just another game” while acknowledging the electric atmosphere of a Cowboys-Packers matchup. “I kind of know what a (Dallas)-Green Bay game looks like — and I know the fan base is going to be pretty rowdy,” he added. Parsons still owns a suite at AT&T Stadium, which will be filled with friends and family cheering him on.
Parsons’ four seasons with the Cowboys were nothing short of spectacular, with at least 12.0 sacks each year, totaling 52.5 sacks in his Dallas tenure. Now with the Packers (2-1), he has 1.5 sacks in his first three games, but his presence on the field has opened opportunities for teammates like Rashan Gary, who leads the NFL with 4.5 sacks this season. “The attention he gets from opposing offenses creates opportunities for all the Packers’ other pass rushers,” a Green Bay source noted.
Despite his trade, Parsons maintains close relationships with several Cowboys players. He checks in weekly with cornerback Trevon Diggs and recently reached out to wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to lift his spirits after Lamb suffered a high ankle sprain in Dallas’ 31-14 loss to the Chicago Bears. Parsons also spoke fondly of Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, describing him as a mentor and admitting that sacking him would be “painful.” However, one relationship appears strained: Parsons hasn’t spoken to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones since organized team activities (OTAs). “I never even heard from Jerry Jones himself when I got traded,” Parsons said. “I found out through my agent.”
Jones, for his part, confirmed there would be no video tribute for Parsons during the game, stating it wouldn’t be appropriate. Parsons shrugged off the decision, saying, “There’s a lot of things I can consider disrespectful throughout this process, but I wouldn’t say the (lack of a) tribute is one of them.” He added, “I just think there’s hard feelings maybe there for them, but for me, I’m happy where I’m at, and we got a really good football team, so I guess I can (receive) my tribute in a win, I hope.”
Parsons also reflected warmly on his time mentoring Dallas’ offensive linemen, particularly left tackle Tyler Guyton. “It’s funny because I spent all training camp helping these guys and teaching them how to block me,” Parsons said. Guyton acknowledged the impact, noting, “I kind of looked up to him for guidance, and he showed me a lot. We battled a little bit, and got better from it.” Their friendly rivalry will take on new stakes Sunday night as they face off in a high-profile primetime matchup.
As kickoff approaches, Parsons is focused on the game itself, not the trade drama that dominated headlines. “Once the game (starts), ain’t no one talking about the trade,” he said. “We’re talking about winning the football game.” For Cowboys fans, the sight of Parsons in a Packers jersey will be a bittersweet moment, but the edge rusher is betting on a warm reception—and perhaps a few cheers—as he steps back onto the field where he became a star.
