Two postseasons ago, Jordan Love had to contend with Micah Parsons during a wild-card matchup. However, Love no longer has to fret about avoiding Parsons’ pass-rushing prowess.
And, it certainly appears he’s pleased about this development.
Love shared his reaction to the news of the Dallas Cowboys trading Parsons to the Green Bay Packers on Thursday, expressing his enthusiasm with three fire emojis on his Instagram story.
Throughout the month of August, Parsons had expressed a desire to be traded, removing any mention of the Cowboys from his social media profiles. Additionally, he playfully gestured “call me” at a fan who suggested he should join the Falcons before a preseason game in Arlington, where Parsons briefly reclined on an athletic training table with his eyes closed. Seeking a contract extension from the Cowboys, Parsons found himself at odds with the team’s owner and general manager, Jerry Jones. After some back-and-forth negotiations, Parsons emerged victorious.
Jones and the Cowboys reached an agreement to trade Parsons to the Packers on Thursday evening. In exchange, the Packers sent the Cowboys a pair of first-round draft picks and Kenny Clark, a defensive tackle who has been selected to the Pro Bowl three times.
Parsons is set to sign a four-year contract with the Packers worth $188 million — with $136 million guaranteed, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. This agreement will see Parsons enter the 2025 season with an average salary of $47 million, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
Abdul Carter, a rookie edge rusher for the New York Giants who followed a similar path as Parsons by excelling while wearing No. 11 at Penn State, shared his reaction to Parsons’ significant pay increase.
T.J. Watt, a linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers, had briefly held the title of the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history after signing a three-year extension worth $123 million on July 17. However, his brother JJ expressed disbelief at Thursday’s announcement.
“Repeatedly refreshing and rereading to confirm it’s accurate,” Watt wrote on X. “Unbelievable.”
He later added: “A transaction of this scale is exceptionally uncommon in this league. What an impressive move by Green Bay.”
Juanyeh Thomas, a safety for the Cowboys, seemed to capture the sentiment of the team’s supporters by sharing a GIF featuring Steve Harvey.
DeMarvion Overshown, a Cowboys linebacker, took a similar approach by using a humorous GIF to express his feelings about losing a three-time All-Pro player who has recorded at least 12 sacks in each of his four NFL seasons since being drafted as the No. 12 overall pick in 2021.
Another Dallas defender, who is also a close friend of Parsons, quickly shared his thoughts on X. This was Trevon Diggs, a cornerback who has played alongside Parsons for all but one of his five seasons with the Cowboys.
Diggs simply posted a broken heart emoji on X.
Former Cowboys players are also expressing their disappointment with Thursday’s trade, including DeMarcus Ware, a Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker and defensive end.
Ware, who is a member of the team’s Ring of Honor, posted a five-second video of himself twice covering his face in disbelief.
Dez Bryant, a three-time Pro Bowl receiver who played with Ware in the early 2010s and remained with Dallas through the 2017 season, shared his thoughts on X.
Bryant wrote, “I was aware that we were not doing well” and “Jerry Jones… this must make sense….” and “Arch Manning will be seen with a star on the helmet. No one will sway me.”
Meanwhile, the Packers continued to celebrate their latest acquisition, with the team’s social media account offering a humorous take on the 2014 film “Draft Day.”
Parsons has amassed 52.5 sacks, 256 total tackles, 112 quarterback hits, and nine forced fumbles in 63 regular-season games over his initial four seasons in the league.
He is still only 26 years old. The Packers are acquiring a defensive talent capable of changing the game in his prime, just one week before the NFL’s regular-season schedule begins.
