OXNARD, Calif. — Micah Parsons attended the Dallas Cowboys’ practice with the Los Angeles Rams on Tuesday. He watched from the sideline. At one point he was within a few yards of Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones. But the two did not talk.
According to Jones, the two have not talked since Parsons requested a trade last Friday.
“I think the world of Micah,” Jones said after Tuesday’s practice. “He’s one of the brightest people I’ve ever been around. He’s very, very talented. Now, how we ultimately meld him in with our future is a challenge. I’m built for it and he’s built for it.”
Jones said there have been no recent contract negotiations with Parsons’ representatives. Surprisingly, Jones also said he is not confident that Parsons will be on the field for the team’s season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 4.
“No, absolutely not,” Jones said. “A big part of that is his decision. How would I know that? I’m just saying. No, but I’m urgent. … We will work through it or we will not work through it.”
Micah Parsons pic.twitter.com/ScoL9VkLSs
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 5, 2025
Parsons has not spoken to reporters since July 22, following the team’s first training camp practice.
On Saturday, the day after Parsons requested a trade and said he no longer wanted to play for the Cowboys, he showed up to practice in a Cowboys hooded sweatshirt and no jersey. He also didn’t spend time with the defensive line group like he had been at previous practices. Instead, he bounced around from the middle of the field to hanging around the wide receivers and quarterbacks.
Micah Parsons pic.twitter.com/8nbLgpIGSR
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 2, 2025
Dallas did not practice Sunday. Cowboys coach Brain Schottenheimer said Monday that Parsons not wearing his practice jersey Saturday wasn’t a big deal, but added that they “want all of our guys to be the same.”
“We’re a team,” Schottenheimer said. “We’re going to always act like a team. Usually you will see them all in gear.”
About 15 minutes after Schottenheimer’s comments, Parsons took the field wearing an all black Hot Suit sauna suit. Shortly after, he put on his practice jersey. During practice, he stayed with the defensive linemen during individual drills and the defense during team drills.
Micah Parsons spending some time with Cowboys DC Matt Eberflus pic.twitter.com/VT2N1ZmBWZ
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 4, 2025
Parsons continues to take part in all other team activities, including team meetings.
“He’s been really good,” Schottenheimer said. “What you see from him is the coaching piece of it and all that that he is doing, diving into the other guys. Very engaged, asks good questions. I don’t think that’s going to change.”
The next move for Parsons could be leaving camp, but he would face being fined $50,000 per day. It doesn’t sound like the Cowboys are expecting that. Schottenheimer was more optimistic than Jones when he was asked about Parsons being on the field for the season opener.
“We’re still planning on moving Micah around and putting him in all the spots that we see him and using our fronts the way we want to see it,” Schottenheimer said. “We go about our business every day. We live in the moment. We focus on the moment. Like I said the other day, I expect Micah to be here.”
(Photo: Kirby Lee / Imagn Images)
