As contract negotiations between the Dallas Cowboys and star pass rusher Micah Parsons continue without resolution, team owner Jerry Jones commented publicly on the ongoing situation during an appearance on Fox and Friends. Addressing the challenge of keeping Parsons with the team long-term, Jones discussed balancing financial commitments to one player while ensuring resources remain for the rest of the roster. He referred to this as “the art of the deal,” referencing the 1987 book linked to Donald Trump and journalist Tony Schwartz.
“Micah is a great player, not a good player but a great player,” Jones said during his television interview. “He knows more than anyone that it’s a team thing. (…) And so I know everybody’s tired of hearing this, but you’ve got to put this puzzle together so that you can have some other people out there playing with Micah. (…) That’s the art of the deal, and that’s why we’re trying to get done and we’re trying to make this thing work. (…) But we have all the appreciation in the world for what he can mean to the years ahead. We’re proud to have you,” said Jones.
Parsons has reportedly requested a trade over stalled contract discussions as he seeks a significant pay increase entering the final year of his rookie deal. Other top pass rushers such as T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett have recently secured contracts paying at least $40 million per year on average.
Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinee Troy Aikman offered his perspective during ESPN’s Monday night preseason broadcast between Washington and Cincinnati. Aikman stated, “His leverage is that they can’t win without him.” He further commented, “I do think the Cowboys are gonna be better than what a lot of people project.”
Aikman expressed optimism regarding Dallas surpassing expectations set by Las Vegas oddsmakers, who listed their win total at seven-and-a-half games. However, he also noted doubts about their prospects without Parsons: “But without Micah Parsons, I just don’t think they’re gonna be able to slow anybody down.” He also shared that coach Brian Schottenheimer’s work in training camp was positive but maintained concern about defensive effectiveness if Parsons does not play.
Aikman later commented on potential outcomes for negotiations: “I like what [coach] Brian Schottenheimer has shown in training camp and going into the year, and they’ve got some things that I like about the team in general (…) But without Micah Parsons, I just don’t think they’re gonna be able to slow anybody down.” He added that while he expects an agreement eventually will be reached between Dallas and Parsons, “I don’t think anybody knows what Jerry [Jones] is ever gonna do,” referencing ongoing speculation about a possible trade involving Parsons.
Parsons indicated via social media that while he had previously spoken with Jones regarding contract terms, those talks did not constitute formal negotiations. He stated that no discussions have taken place between his agent David Mulugheta and team officials concerning a new deal.
Jones addressed reports about Parsons’ trade request by saying: “I’m not. The facts are that I think the world of Micah, and that’s just a part of negotiation.(…) I don’t place that with any real seriousness, Micah’s got a bad back. That’s like being traded, we all weight it the same.”
The Cowboys are scheduled to begin their season against Philadelphia on September 4.
