FRISO, TEXAS — In a move that has stunned fans and rattled the NFL landscape, the Dallas Cowboys have traded All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers. In return, Dallas receives two high draft picks and veteran defensive tackle Kenny Clark—an exchange that ends a tense, contract-filled saga between the star linebacker and the organization.
The shocking deal marks the end of a promising era for Parsons in Dallas, who had quickly established himself as one of the most dominant and marketable defenders in the league.
Shortly after the trade became official, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and executive vice president Stephen Jones addressed the media, providing rare transparency on a high-profile decision that’s sure to be debated for years.
When asked if they ever got the sense Parsons no longer wanted to remain with the Cowboys, Jerry didn’t hesitate:
“I didn’t give that a thought.”
Stephen backed his father’s stance, adding:
“I never felt it.”
Despite the failure to reach a long-term agreement, both emphasized there were no lingering issues behind closed doors. Jerry made it clear that a contract offer was extended early in the offseason—but ultimately, the two sides couldn’t meet in the middle.
“There’s no question I could’ve signed him in April,” Jerry said. “But for a deal to happen, both sides have to want it. I made Micah an offer—it just wasn’t accepted.”
He was also quick to shut down any speculation of animosity.
“There’s not an ounce of bad feeling from me,” he added. “We just didn’t come together on a deal. That’s football. That’s business.”
Jones also revealed that the trade had been in the works for months.
“This trade wasn’t something we cooked up overnight,” he said. “It’s been in motion since the spring. It just came to a head today.”
The Cowboys now turn the page with added draft capital and a proven defensive force in Clark, but they also lose a generational talent whose presence transformed their defense.
Micah Parsons’ time in Dallas ends not with a contract extension, but with one of the most jarring trades in franchise—and NFL—history.
