Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones claimed that he offered All-Pro defensive end Micah Parsons a new deal that "would've made him the highest-paid guaranteed player other than a quarterback in the NFL" during an appearance on Cowboys legend Michael Irvin's YouTube show on Thursday (August 21).
"Nobody appreciates Micah Parsons more than the Cowboys or me," Jones said. "Nobody has ever offered him more money than I have to play football. Period."
The deal likely would've been in the range of the $41 million extension Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end T.J. Watt recently signed making him highest-paid non-quarterback deal in NFL history. Jones claims he offered Parsons the deal in April, however, the pass rusher's that agent, David Mulugheta, was responsible for not finalizing the deal ahead of the team's season opener against the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
"When we wanted to send the details to the agent, the agent told us to stick it up our a**," Jones said. "Just so you're clear."
Jones confirmed that no negotiations have taken place since. On Tuesday (August 19), ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Parsons and the Cowboys were "headed towards divorce" on his podcast.
“You can’t get a deal done if you’re not even talking, and the two sides haven’t had any negotiations since late March or early April, and it sounds like at this point it’s personal," Schefter said.
Parsons shared a lengthy statement publicly requesting a trade on his social media accounts on August 1.
"Yes I wanted to be here," Parsons wrote. "I did everything I could to show that I wanted to be a Cowboys and wear the star on my helmet. I wanted to play in front of the best fans in sports and make this Americas team once again. The team my pops and I grew up cheering for way up in Harrisburg, PA. Unfortunately I no longer want to be here. I no longer want to be held to close door negotiations without my agent present. I no longer want shots taken at me for getting injured while laying it on the line for the organization our fans and my teammates. I no longer want narratives created and spread to the media about me. I had purposely stayed quiet in hopes of getting something done."
Parsons' confirmation came hours after the Athletic's Dianna Russini reported that Parsons' relationship with the Cowboys had "deteriorated" among ongoing contract negotiations to the point that he's considering a trade request or even "severing his relationship with the team."
"BREAKING: The Micah Parsons-Cowboys relationship has deteriorated to the point where the star pass rusher is considering drastic measures which could include a trade request or even a declaration that he is severing his relationship with the team, per multiple league sources familiar with the situation. The two sides remain far apart heading into the second week of training camp, and are not currently negotiating," Russini wrote on her X account.
Several Cowboys teammates appeared to support Parsons amid his reported rift with the team's front office, changing their X profile pictures to include Parsons. Several Cowboys fans were heard yelling "Pay Micah" when team owner and general manager Jerry Jones spoke at training camp last weekend amid their ongoing contract dispute, with Jones referencing a similar situation with wide receiver CeeDee Lamb's contract dispute last offseason.
"I heard it light, but not compared to how I heard them say, 'Pay Lamb [last year],'" Jones said on July 26. "That was a faint little sound compared to the way they were hollering last year, 'Pay Lamb.' ... Whoever's not in, you can count on a few hollering that. But it was a big loud chant last year on Lamb."
The Cowboys exercised the fifth-year option on Parsons' rookie contract, which is set to expire after the 2025 season. The former Penn State standout, winning the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year award and has been selected as an All-Pro and Pro Bowler during each of his first three NFL seasons.