Jerry Jones takes another jab at Micah Parsons: 'Dak was indispensable in my mind. And Micah wasn't'

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The 40-40 tie between All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons' Green Bay Packers and Jerry Jones' Dallas Cowboys on "Sunday Night Football" prevented either side from definitively declaring themselves the victor of the trade in Week 4.  

However, that didn't keep either side from taking more shots at each other. Both continued to reflect back on the communication breakdown in contract negotiations that led to Jones trading Parsons to the Packers a week before the season began in exchange for two first-round picks and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark. The 26-year-old All-Pro did end up getting the contract he was hoping for when he signed a four-year, $186 million extension with $136 million guaranteed. Both Parsons' total contract value ($186 million) and average per year salary ($46.5 million) are the highest in the NFL for a non-quarterback.

"It's very simple. Dak was indispensable in my mind. And Micah wasn't," Jones said postgame when asked about paying quarterback Dak Prescott (four years, $240 million) and not Parsons.

Parsons himself had been effusive throughout his Cowboys contract negotiations that his goal was to remain in Dallas, but after Sunday night, he revealed his thoughts on the matter changed when he saw how Jones handled his trade becoming official. In the lead up to Sunday night, Clark revealed Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst made sure to call him to inform him that Green Bay traded three-time Pro Bowler to Dallas. Gutekunst even told Parsons he needed to talk to Clark to make sure the defensive tackle heard about the deal from Gutekunst himself. Parsons and Jones haven't spoken since organized team activities in the spring, and Parsons didn't appreciate Jones never reaching out to talk after the trade went down. 

"Honestly, I think, all in all, the emotions for me, being in Dallas, went away the moment they traded me. … When Gutey told me that he was trading for me, he said 'let me call Kenny before it breaks.' ... I didn't even get to talk to my owner, the person that drafted me," Parsons said postgame. "I found out through my agent. So, to me, that emotional side was pointless because the same way he called me into his office, as a man, he couldn't tell me as a man. So, to me that emotional side was gone, it is more a matter of a respect factor at this point."

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Naturally, it's worth wondering when Jones and Parsons will talk again, if ever. Dallas' owner and general manager sidestepped that question like Parsons might an offensive tackle when rushing the passer. 

"Again, it's just not appropriate. What are we supposed to do when we're getting ready to play each and all that's at stake for him and all that's at stake for our team? That's not appropriate to be visiting as you're getting ready to play," Jones said. "I know very few people, other than his family, that have any more pleasant talks with Micah than I've had. They'll be lasting. There was enough meat on the bones to make a lot of that last a long time, and anybody that doesn't think you can get a little ruffled up when you're negotiating over money doesn't understand human nature. That happens to everybody."

Parsons produced a sack and eight quarterback pressures against the Cowboys, according to TruMedia, but that performance didn't sway Jones enough for him to acknowledge an ounce of regret for trading away his best pass rusher. He entered Week 4 with the highest quarterback pressure rate (21.8%) among all edge rushers in 2025 even though he had double-teamed at the highest rate  (18.4%) through the season's first three weeks among edge rushers, according to NextGenStats via NFL Media. 

"For me, he's an outstanding young man. He played well tonight, and I thought we played well tonight. We played well against him tonight," Jones said. "I know that it made it another point or punctuation point with us playing Green Bay for him to have been traded up there. But again, we didn't necessarily settle anything on the trade, but I like what we got. I'm sure Green Bay likes what they got."

What Green Bay received from Parsons in overtime was consecutive plays at the goal line that forced Dallas to settle for a 22-yard field goal. It appeared as though Prescott was going to be able to scramble into the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown on second-and-goal from the four, but Parsons closed in on him from behind for his sole sack of the night. On the very next play, he blew through Dallas' offensive line to get in Prescott's grill for a pressure that forced a third-and-goal incompletion. 

"It's just all about not letting my teammates down. Going 100 percent every play. I owe it to every person in the organization and every person in that locker room to give my absolute best every time," Parsons said. "So, I'm here at this podium  because I am supposed to make that play. Not because it's like, 'oh my God, he made that play.' I'm supposed to make that play. I'm supposed to help our defense: that's the reason I was brought here. Making plays is what I am supposed to do. Taking over games is what I am supposed to do. I don't think I should be rewarded for that play. That's the reason I am here."

"I really would have liked to have seen a touchdown. Turned out that might have made a difference. I don't think he gets in anyway in terms of that issue, but that's neither here nor there," Jones said. … "They got Micah, and we've got what we've got and we tied."

Parsons' new Packers teammates certainly didn't feel like his performance was impacted by the emotional significance of Week 4. 

"I think Micah is a pro. He shows up everyday," Love said postgame. "He competes at a very high level. He's the same player in practice as he is on gameday. I think obviously, for him, there's probably a lot of emotion coming back here. I wanted him to have a great game. He certainly made a big time play right there when they were close to the end zone. It's tough. We obviously wanted to win this game."  

No hard feelings between Parsons, Cowboys locker room

Hard feelings may remain between Parsons and Jones, but that's certainly not the case in the Cowboys locker room. Dallas Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs, Parsons' closest friend on the team, swapped jerseys with him postgame and expressed plenty of happiness to reunite after the game. 

"It feels good. I haven't seen my brother in a long time, so you know it was good to see him happy. Glad he came out of the game healthy," Diggs said postgame.

"I was like, without a doubt, that I was going to give him my jersey," Parsons said. …"That's my brother for life. He knows that. I love him beyond football. I love him for the person he is. So, we're forever locked in."

Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer failed to find Parsons on the field postgame, but he made his strong, positive feelings about Parsons much more clear than his boss at the podium late Sunday night.

"What a great player. I hate I didn't see him. Micah, if you're listening, I know you probably are, I love you brother," Schottenheimer said. ... "I hope we see him down the line here again in January."

Until the Packers and Cowboys have a chance to settle the score on the field, come this postseason or in future years, Jones and Parsons will have to settle for a draw. That's a win for Jones and the Cowboys' front office. 

"I knew that he is the great player that he is, and I like the way that we got ready to play. We played him and we ran at him," Jones said. "We knew he was there, and he made a difference, but that's the way it goes whether we like it or not. I'll take my side of it, and Green Bay can have their side of it."