The heated summer drama between star edge rusher Micah Parsons and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has ended — surprisingly, with Parsons finding a new home.
The Cowboys agreed to trade Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers, officially announcing the news Thursday afternoon. In exchange for Parsons, the Packers sent the Cowboys two first-round draft picks for 2026 and 2027, and defensive tackle Kenny Clark.
Parsons will reportedly sign a four-year, $188 million deal with the Packers upon joining the team, including $136 million guaranteed, per multiple reports.
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His $47 million average salary makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. The new deal for Parsons also outpaces the three-year, $123 million extension of Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt, who became the league’s highest-paid non-quarterback in late July, about a week before the team reported for training camp.
Parsons shared a statement on X (formerly Twitter) thanking Cowboys fans for their support shortly after the first reports broke.
Parsons entered 2025 playing on the fifth-year option, in the final year of his rookie contract. Now, he’s secured a long-term deal to ensure his guarantees beyond this season.
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The Cowboys host the Packers on Sept. 28 on Sunday Night Football.
For Dallas, it was a rough road to this ending. On Aug. 1, Parsons, frustrated over what he called a lack of progress on his extension, told the NFL world, via social media, that he no longer wanted to be a Cowboy and demanded a trade. Publicly, Jones took the announcement in stride, treating it as a negotiating tactic.
Even after the dramatic trade demand, Parsons was on the sideline, in Cowboys gear, at training camp in Oxnard, California, present with the team despite sitting out of practice. But jabs from Jerry Jones eventually became frequent fixtures in his media tours, including commentary on the involvement of Parsons’ agent, David Mulugheta, in negotiations; frustrations between the two sides were tangible.
Amid the conflict, the sides pressed on but were ultimately unable to come to terms on a long-term deal.
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The trade agreement closes a drawn-out waiting game between Parsons and the Cowboys, which began in the months following the 2023 season, when the star edge rusher first became eligible for a contract extension. It also marks another frustrating period for Cowboys fans, who have been rankled by Jones’ penchant for closing deals long after the market has repeatedly hiked higher for the stars on Dallas’ roster.
Whatever the case, Parsons’ trade marks the loss of a franchise cornerstone who quickly became a defining component of the Cowboys’ defense after being selected 12th overall in the 2021 draft. Through four seasons, Parsons has stacked his NFL résumé with a defensive Rookie of the Year nod, as well as three All-Pro selections (including two on the first team) and four Pro Bowls.
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