Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones Had ‘Problem’ With Micah Parsons Ahead of SNF Clash
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is still adjusting to the sight of Micah Parsons in a Green Bay Packers uniform.
Jones was live on NBC on Sunday when Parsons jogged onto the field at AT&T Stadium for warmups, making his first return to Dallas since being traded — and his first appearance as a visitor at the stadium he once called home.
“I’ve seen that trot and him running out like that for four straight years. The green and gold is a little problem for me, looking at it,” Jones said. “But I’ll have to think of the kind of considerations we got on the trade. It might not be this Christmas that the bicycle goes under the tree. But thinking ahead, you might have a motorcycle under there.”
Jones’ message seems to be that by avoiding a massive contract for Parsons, the Cowboys are keeping financial flexibility to add multiple impact players in the future. After the trade, Parsons inked a four-year, $188 million extension with Green Bay, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
Dallas has already invested heavily in other key pieces since trading Parsons, extending guard Tyler Smith — now the NFL’s highest-paid interior offensive lineman — and signing cornerback DaRon Bland to a four-year deal worth up to $92 million. Tight end Jake Ferguson signed a four-year extension worth up to $52 million.
Jerry Jones: Cowboys Didn’t Win Super Bowl With Micah Parsons
Prior to watching Parsons jog onto the field, Jones gave some insight into why he decided to trade Parsons in August for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round draft picks.
“I think a lot of Micah. I admire him. He’s a great player and has a great family with him. But he got caught up in the numbers with me,” Jones said. “I wanted the number of players that a player like Micah Parsons could get for us in the future. I thought we could play some good football even though we didn’t have him in the short term. I like the numbers and I’m fully aware, because we had him for four years, that didn’t get us to the Super Bowl. We had to do something different.”
The Cowboys don’t appear any closer to a Super Bowl with Parsons no longer in the picture. Dallas is 1-2, and their defense is giving up 397.7 yards per game, next to last in the NFL. As a team, the Cowboys have just three sacks this season.
Cowboys Not Planning Tribute for Micah Parsons
The Cowboys are not planning any kind of tribute for Parsons’ first return to Dallas. Jones said a tribute wouldn’t be “appropriate” for the occasion. The team had done so previously for players like Emmitt Smith and Ezekiel Elliott.
Parsons did not have a problem with not being celebrated by his former team.
“No, there’s a lot of things I can consider disrespectful throughout this process, but I wouldn’t say the tribute is one of them,” Parsons said Wednesday. “I would say, I just think there’s hard feelings maybe there for them. But for me, I’m happy where I’m at and we got a really good football team, so I guess I can [receive] my tribute in a win, I hope.”
Parsons’ Packers are a 6.5-point favorite for Sunday’s matchup against the Cowboys.
Packers’ Late-Game Collapse Raises Super Bowl Questions: Is LaFleur to Blame?
Packers’ Bizarre Tie Raises Serious Questions About Their Super Bowl Hopes
Green Bay Packers’ performance in their 40-40 tie against the Dallas Cowboys left fans and experts alike scratching their heads. What should have been a chance to bounce back after a disappointing loss to the Cleveland Browns turned into another head-scratcher for the Packers.
The game ended with the Packers taking a conservative approach in overtime, choosing to run out the clock rather than aggressively drive for the win. With just one second left on the clock, Jordan Love’s final pass was incomplete, saving Green Bay from a second consecutive loss but leaving them with more questions than answers.
Many experts have raised concerns about head coach Matt LaFleur's decisions, particularly his reluctance to trust Love in a critical moment. LaFleur’s play-calling at the end of the game, focused on draining the clock, was met with widespread criticism. As NFL analyst Benjamin Solak put it, “Playing for the tie is poor. They should have gone for the win.”
Former Packers quarterback Kurt Benkert did not hold back, saying, “Handcuffing your $55 million QB in overtime was a choice. Especially after he’s gotten you 37 points.” It was clear that many felt Love had proven himself capable of taking charge, but LaFleur’s conservative tactics hindered his chances.
On the defensive side, defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s unit showed cracks. After being one of the league’s top-ranked defenses, they struggled against Dallas, allowing critical plays and failing to close out the game. Their inability to get the job done when it mattered most has raised doubts about whether the Packers have the defense to compete in the playoffs.
Despite Love’s strong individual performance, throwing for over 300 yards and three touchdowns, the Packers’ inability to seal the win has caused widespread concern. With a tie on the record, it feels like a missed opportunity for Green Bay to assert themselves as legitimate Super Bowl contenders. As they look ahead, LaFleur and his team will need to address these critical issues if they want to keep their championship hopes alive.
