If Dallas Cowboys All-Star linebacker Micah Parsons is anticipating his contract situation leads to him suiting up for a different team, he will be forced to be patient for a period of three years before that possibility comes to fruition. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones stated he has no desire to part ways with Parsons by trade amidst stalled contract negotiations, declaring, “Any discussion of trading him is nonsense.”
Jones conveyed those remarks during his appearance on the “Stephen A. Smith Show” on Friday.
Jones addressed a diverse array of subjects during his appearance, including his personal well-being and the franchise’s extended absence from the Super Bowl. Subsequently, the dialogue shifted to Parsons. Jones — who has been engaged in a busy media circuit over the preceding 24 hours — largely reiterated similar points in his discussion with Smith. Jones suggested that he had reached a verbal understanding with Parsons, but then grew disappointed when Parsons sought the involvement of his agent.
[Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season]
Smith then inquired about Jones’s feelings upon hearing that Parsons had requested a trade. Following a somewhat tangential point, Jones eventually affirmed that he would not trade Parsons, adding, “There’s no substance to it.”
Jones also intimated that Parsons would be compelled to abstain from playing for three seasons if he desired a change of scenery. While Parsons is presently under contract for only one additional year with the Cowboys, the team possesses the option to designate him as a franchise player for two more seasons. Jones mentioned that he would exercise that option during an interview with Cowboys icon Michael Irvin on Thursday.
Jones articulated his belief that Parsons would be disinclined to forgo that significant amount of time in order to realize his wish. “I can’t foresee anyone sitting out for three years, under any circumstances,” Jones informed Smith.
Those statements are undoubtedly a tactical maneuver by Jones, as he attempts to portray the most unfavorable outcome for Parsons if he continues to hold out. Smith did highlight a situation where the opposite scenario unfolded, however.
Following the Cowboys’ Super Bowl triumph in the 1992 season, prominent running back Emmitt Smith staged a holdout in pursuit of a new contract. He and Jones were unable to come to an agreement prior to the commencement of the 1993 regular season, resulting in the running back’s absence from the team’s initial two games. The Cowboys commenced the season with an 0-2 record, and Jones promptly consented to compensate Smith. The team proceeded to secure its second consecutive Super Bowl victory after Smith delivered an MVP-caliber season.
Given the extent to which the discord between Parsons and the team has become public knowledge, and the vigor with which Jones has promoted his perspective, it appears as though it would necessitate more than just a few early defeats for Jones and Parsons to reconcile their differences.
