Parsons says his contract talks with the Cowboys have stalled after Jones questioned his durability during the team’s training camp opener.
Dallas Cowboys defensive end Micah Parsons has officially responded to the shots taken at him and his teammates by owner and general manager Jerry Jones during the team’s first day of training camp.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Jones took shots at Parsons during an introductory press conference, claiming the defensive end’s availability isn’t guaranteed even with a new contract.
“Just because we sign him doesn’t mean we’re gonna have him. He was hurt six games last year. Seriously,” Jones said, casting doubt on Parsons’ ability to remain healthy during the season.
Parsons spoke out against these claims during a media session on Tuesday, saying he is discouraged by the length of time it has taken for the contract discussions.
“When you go around the league and you see these other teams taking care of their best guys. I see T.J. [Watt] got taken care of. Maxx [Crosby] got taken care of. Myles [Garrett] got taken care of, and he had two years left on his deal. Yeah, you see a lot of people in our league go and get taken care of. You just, you know, wish you had something with that same type of energy.”
The four-time Pro Bowler detailed how he would like to remain in Dallas for the foreseeable future, but the front office will make that decision, and he’s focused on being there for his teammates.
“I want to be here. At the end of the day, they sign the checks. Let’s see if they want me to be here,” he said, per Jon Machota.
“I’m doing this for myself and my teammates. This isn’t for Jerry.”
Notably, this media session was one of the first times that Parsons has expressed concern about whether he will end up with the Cowboys long term, noting that the front office will make the final decision on whether to give him a fair offer.
“If they don’t want me here, they don’t want me here. I’ll go about my business. I understand the nature of the business. Like I said, as long as I’m here and under contract, I’mma do what I have to do to perform at the highest level. But if this is the end, this is the end,” he said.
Parsons further explained that both he and the Jones family are in similar positions, with both sides wanting to make sure the well-being of their families is secure.
These discussions have apparently begun to stall, with Parsons claiming that “There’s really not much movement” taking place, despite his agent, David Mulugheta, reaching out to the Cowboys’ front office.
Additionally, Parsons is likely to participate in a few drills during training camp, citing a back issue as the main reason.
“It’s something that I feel is going to hold me back, so I just need to rehab,” he explained, per Jon Machota.
Moving forward, it remains unclear when the two sides will reach a contract extension.
These types of disputes between the Cowboys and star players have become increasingly common over the years, with Dallas consistently waiting until the last opportunity to sign players to major contracts.
Most recently, Dallas waited until training camp to sign wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and just one day before the 2024 regular season to sign quarterback Dak Prescott.
Although these disputes rarely affect the Cowboys’ ability to perform on the field, they almost always result in significantly more expensive contracts than could have been agreed upon initially.
Category: General Sports
