Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones recently discussed the ongoing contract negotiations with linebacker Micah Parsons. Appearing on Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin’s podcast, Jones commented on the state of discussions between the team and Parsons’s agent, David Mulugheta.
“When we wanted to send the details to the agent, the agent told us to stick it up our ass,” Jones said, according to Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News. Mulugheta, who represents Parsons through Athletes First, confirmed he was aware of Jones’s statement but declined further comment.
Jones provided additional context on his perspective. “We were going to send it over to the agent and the agent said don’t bother because we’ve got all that to negotiate (…) Well, I’d already negotiated. I’d already moved off my mark on several areas. And so the issue is frankly that we already had the negotiation in my mind, and now the agent is trying to stick his nose in it.” This reflects a difference between how negotiations are conducted by management versus an athlete’s designated representative.
The situation highlights issues surrounding direct communication between team owners and players when an exclusive representative is assigned for negotiations. According to standard practices agreed upon by both the National Football League (NFL) and NFL Players Association (NFLPA), club officials should not directly negotiate with players who have appointed agents.
Jones described a timeline similar to previous contract situations involving other Cowboys players. “We really have three years to work this out (…) I did that with Dak [Prescott] . . . the precedent is handling it like Dak. In this particular case, Micah comes in and plays on his contract, and if he doesn’t it’s very costly,” Jones stated during his discussion with Irvin.
For now, Parsons remains under contract for 2025 at $24 million under his fifth-year option. The market rate for top linebackers has risen substantially since then, reaching $41 million annually for some leading players at that position.
Other Cowboys such as Ezekiel Elliott in 2019 and CeeDee Lamb previously secured new deals before completing their rookie contracts after holding out from team activities. With Parsons attending team events so far but still seeking a new agreement via his representative, Jones emphasized an approach based on existing timelines rather than accelerating talks due solely to external pressure or comparison cases within or outside of Dallas.
Within coming weeks, decisions by both sides may determine whether a long-term agreement will be finalized ahead of training camp or whether Parsons will play through 2025 before entering potential free agency scenarios outlined by franchise tag options controlled by club management.
