Micah Parsons Considers Extreme Action Amid Contract Standoff with Jerry Jones

Micah Parsons Considers Extreme Action Amid Contract Standoff with Jerry Jones originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Micah Parsons' days as a Dallas Cowboy might be numbered after recent reports suggest he's pondering his future with the iconic NFL franchise.

Parsons is entering his fifth year as a pro. This is also the fifth year he has played under his rookie contract after the team exercised its $24 million option.

One of the best pass rushers in the league, Parsons has recorded 256 tackles, 52.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries during his four-year career.

The 2025 offseason saw other top pass rushers sign new contracts, with Myles Garrett inking a four-year, $160 million deal with the Cleveland Browns and T.J. Watt securing a three-year, $123 million contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. These new contracts left Parsons and Cincinnati Bengals' Trey Hendrickson as the two biggest star defenders without a multiyear contract beyond 2025.

As we enter the final month before kickoff, Parsons has reportedly made up his mind on potential measures to ensure he receives the right treatment, either in Dallas or somewhere else.

NFL insider Dianna Russini shared Friday that the linebacker is considering, among other measures, requesting a trade or declaring that he is severing his relationship with the Cowboys. As things stand, Parsons and the front office are far apart in their negotiations, and no active discussions are taking place.

BREAKING: The Micah Parsons-Cowboys relationship has deteriorated to the point where the star pass rusher is considering drastic measures which could include a trade request or even a declaration that he is severing his relationship with the team, per multiple league sources… pic.twitter.com/7Yujmv4JQ2

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) August 1, 2025

Who Can be Micah Parsons' Replacement for the Cowboys?

It's unclear what team ownership's response to this will be. Parsons could be ultimately traded or cut, with the team having little to no space to land a proper replacement.

As of Friday, Marshawn Kneeland, Sam Williams and Tyrus Wheat are on the Cowboys' depth chart behind Parsons. If they can work on a trade with a different team, the picture would look different, but that doesn't seem like a real possibility at this point.

Parsons is coming off a 13-game season where he posted 43 tackles, 12 sacks and two forced fumbles for the underwhelming 7-10 Cowboys. Brian Schottenheimer lauded his willingness to be in the building despite his contract dispute, but things have gone south.

Who Is to Blame for the Failed Contract Negotiations?

While the parties started negotiations on cordial terms, things seemingly started going wrong in April, when owner Jerry Jones dismissed Parsons' agent's participation in the negotiations. Jones said David Mulugheta "didn't concern him," which didn't sit well with the player.

Facts!! David is the best and I will not be doing any deal without @DavidMulugheta involved! Like anyone with good sense I hired experts for a reason. There is no one I trust more when it comes to negotiating contracts than David! There will be no backdoors in this contract… https://t.co/nxKNSIXLvt

— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) April 1, 2025

Months later, in mid-July, Parsons accused the front office of "dragging out" and making the negotiations "more complicated than they had to be" during an appearance on The Undertaker's podcast.

The Cowboys are now at odds with their star defender and after Terry McLaurin requested a trade away from the Washington Commanders on Thursday, Parsons could follow through and try to force his exit from Dallas.

Related: Micah Parsons Headlines Cowboys Top-Five Contract Priority Rankings

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 1, 2025, where it first appeared.