Micah Parsons' time with the Dallas Cowboys has officially come to an end, as the edge rusher has been traded to the Green Bay Packers after a contentious few months. Parsons is set to sign a four-year, $188 million deal with the Packers, as the team gives him the kind of salary that the Cowboys weren't willing to cough up.
The trade concludes a saga that stretched back to last season, as the relationship between Parsons and Dallas soured to a point of no return. After months of Jerry Jones saying that they wouldn't trade Parsons, the Cowboys finally started to listen to offers — and Green Bay was the team that got him.
How, exactly, did things reach this point? Here's a rough timeline of Parsons' failed negotiations with the Cowboys that has made Dallas the NFL's epicenter of offseason drama.
Before 2024 season: Micah Parsons reaches out about extension
In a statement on Aug. 1, Parsons said contract negotiations stretched back to before the 2024 NFL season. He said that was the first time his agent, David Mulugheta, reached out to the team about a new deal for the star pass rusher.
At the time, the Cowboys reportedly told Parsons they didn't want to start contract talks at that point. Parsons said he was fine with that decision and turned his focus to the 2024 season.
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Parsons was limited to 13 games in 2024 due to an ankle injury, but turned in another excellent season. He racked up 12 sacks and 23 quarterback hits despite missing time. That performance earned Parsons his fourth straight trip to the Pro Bowl.
After 2024 season: Micah Parsons reaches out to Cowboys again
At the end of the 2024 NFL season, Parsons said he told his agent to reach out to the Cowboys to negotiate a new contract. Parsons' agent advised Parsons to wait until other defensive stars signed new contracts, as that would likely raise his asking price.
Parsons said he knew he would leave money on the table, but told his agent to reach out to the team anyway. Parsons claimed the team did not respond to Mulugheta's requests at the time.
March 2025: Jerry Jones and Micah Parsons meet
With the contract situation still unresolved, Parsons met with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to "talk about leadership," per Parsons.
During that meeting, Jones reportedly started talking to Parsons about a new contract. Parsons said he engaged in that conversation, and let Jones know what he was seeking in a new deal. Parsons said he did not consider that meeting "a formal negotiation." At the end of that meeting, Parsons reportedly said his agent would reach out to "get things done." When Parsons' agent got in touch with the team, the Cowboys did not respond.
April 2025: Micah Parsons shows up to voluntary workouts
Parsons surprised some when he showed up to voluntary workouts in April. At the time, Parsons explained he felt it was important to support new head coach Brian Schottenheimer and to be a leader for the rest of the club.
June 2025: Micah Parsons says he'll report to training camp
Months after his meeting with Jones, Parsons still did not have a deal with the Cowboys. When asked about the situation, Parsons said he planned to report to training camp even if both sides couldn't agree on a contract before then. He put the pressure on Jones to get it done, saying, "It's in the owner's hands."
A few days later, Parsons let frustrations show, telling reporter Clarence Hill Jr. that the Cowboys were costing themselves money by waiting to sign him to a new deal.
A number of star defensive players landed new contracts over the offseason, raising the bar for what Parsons could demand in negotiations. By June, both Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett had already signed new deals that made them the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. Pittsburgh Steelers standout T.J. Watt had not signed a new deal yet, but was almost certain to reset the market with a record-breaking contract once both sides reached an agreement.
July 2025: Parsons reports, both sides 'further away' from a deal
As predicted, Watt signed a three-year, $123 million extension with the Steelers, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL and setting the bar even higher for Parsons' next contract.
Parsons reported to team training camp at the end of July. He opted to sit out of practices, citing a back injury. When asked about his contract situation, Parsons said his agent contacted the team and was waiting to hear back.
At the time, Parsons also told reporters, "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.”
The situation took a turn for the worst at the end of July, when ESPN's Adam Schefter claimed negotiations between Parsons and the Cowboys were "further away" than expected. Schefter said both sides had "gone backwards, not forward" and added that negotiations didn't seem to be happening at that time.
Aug 2025: Micah Parsons requests a trade from Cowboys
Just days after Schefter's report, things reached a boiling point. Parsons posted a GIF implying it was his final season in Dallas and then officially requested a trade a day later. In between those two events, at least two Cowboys defenders changed their social media avatars to include pictures featuring Parsons, a sign of solidarity between the players.
CeeDee Lamb, who went through his own round of contract negotiations with the team last offseason, also showed support for Parsons on Friday, telling the Cowboys to "just pay the man."
Parsons tweeted a "one last time" GIF the day before he publicly announced his trade request. The image was a response to a photo of him with Trevon Diggs at team training camp. In doing so, Parsons seemed to imply this would be the last season he and Diggs will be teammates on the Cowboys.
Sure enough, Parsons released a statement on Aug. 1 saying he has requested a trade from Dallas.
It was a culmination of a tense back-and-forth between Parsons and the organization that stretches back to the 2023 offseason, when Parsons said he first got in touch with the team about an extension.
Late August 2025: Jerry Jones goes on offensive
Jones said he has no desire to trade Parsons amid stalled contract talks. "Any talk of trading is BS," Jones said on the "Stephen A. Smith Show" on Aug. 22.
Jones — who was on a whirlwind media tour that day — mostly stuck to talking points in his interview with Smith. Jones implied that he had a deal with Parsons and then grew frustrated when Parsons attempted to get Mulugheta involved. Smith then asked how Jones felt when he heard Parsons asked to be traded. After a lengthy aside, Jones eventually stated that he wasn't going to trade Parsons, adding, "There's nothing to it."
Aug. 28, 2025: Cowboys trade Micah Parsons to Packers
Despite the trade request, the Cowboys initially had no intention of trading Parsons — until they did. Parsons now lands with Green Bay, who sends two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark to Dallas in return.
With his four-year, $188 million deal with the Packers (which includes $136 million guaranteed), Parsons becomes the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. The four-time Pro Bowler will earn $47 million annually off the deal, and will head to Green Bay triumphant after winning the standoff. Dallas and Jerry Jones, meanwhile, will have to answer to fans about why they let their biggest star slip away.
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