Micah Parsons has been traded to the Green Bay Packers, the star rusher announced on social media Thursday.
The Cowboys will reportedly receive two first-round picks in exchange for Parsons' $188 million deal.
Parsons said in a statement that it is a sad day and that he never wanted this chapter of his life to end; however, "not everything was under my control," and he claims he never asked for anything more than fairness, only that the person he trusted to negotiate his contract be part of the process.
"From the moment I arrived in Dallas, you embraced me and my family as your own," Parsons said in a statement. "You made a kid from the East Coast feel right at home in Texas. Every time I pulled up to work, every time I stepped onto that field, I felt the excitement and pride of representing you. You didn't just give me a jersey, you gave me a place to belong."
Parsons said North Texas will still be his home in the offseason, where he plans to continue "giving back to the community that gave me so much."
pic.twitter.com/pOyYE7RD7n
— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) August 28, 2025
Parsons was present at the team's training camp, but did not participate. At the beginning of August, the contract dispute between the Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager, Jerry Jones, and Parsons came to a head, with the star pass rusher demanding a trade.
Parsons demands trade from America's team
In a post to his X account earlier this month, Parsons claimed he personally submitted his trade request to Cowboys executive vice president and CEO Stephen Jones.
"I no longer want to be held to close door [sic] 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," Parsons wrote.
The post, which includes three screenshots of a note typed out on an iPhone, includes Parsons' side of the contract dispute.
Parsons wrote that he wanted to sign a contract extension as soon as he was eligible, following the 2023-24 season, but the team did not want to negotiate.
"After the season I told my agent once again to let the team know we were open to negotiate when they met at the combine. My agent informed me I should wait for other deals to get done because the price would only go up but I didn't care and wanted to secure myself as a Cowboy long term," Parsons wrote.
He said his agent was met with "radio silence."
Jerry Jones on Parsons contract negotiations
In March, Parsons said he had a meeting with Jerry Jones to "talk about leadership," but Jones turned the conversation to his contract.
"Yes I engaged in a back and forth in regards to what I wanted for my contract, but at no point did I believe this was supposed to be a formal negotiation and I informed Mr. Jones afterward my agent would reach out thinking this would get things done," Parsons wrote.
He said when his agent reached out, he was told that a deal was "pretty much already done."
Unless a player is acting as their own agent, negotiations must happen between the team and a player's agent, according to league rules.
In a news conference at the start of training camp, Jones answered a question about the lack of progress toward an extension by appearing to cite Parsons' injury history as a reason for the delay.
Micah Parsons' contract with the Cowboys
Parsons was entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract and has been one of the best at his position in the NFL since he was drafted in 2020. Parsons had said he expected a big payday, whether with the Cowboys or another team.
Last month, another elite pass rusher, Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt, signed a 3-year, $123 million contract, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. Earlier this year, the Browns' Myles Garrett signed a 4-year, $160M deal, making him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history until the Watt contract.
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