No Mercy For Jerry Jones as Micah Parsons’ Trade Receives Overwhelming ’No’ in Our Fan Verdict

Jerry Jones just lost a ton of the Cowboys’ fanbase. No, seriously, we at EssentiallySports polled Cowboys Nation hours after JJ sent Micah Parsons ‘pack’ing – “Are you happy with Micah Parsons’ trade decision?” 65.43% of our Cowboys Huddle Newsletter readers backed a resounding “NO, how did we go so wrong?” It’s like a digital mutiny, self-inflicted by Jones himself. It’s no secret why fans are livid. The whole saga reads like a slow-motion car crash. Dallas’ front office botched contract talks with their defensive superstar, dragging feet on negotiations until the NFL universe tuned in for the “soap opera” and not the games. And it’s no surprise because that’s what the owner craves most. 

Parsons racked up elite stats, wanted long-term security, played through injuries, and kept showing up – only to watch Jerry Jones turn a brutal standoff into a headline grabber. As Chris Long said: “At some point as an owner you have to give the appearance that you have some loyalty to your players…you don’t let it play out like this publicly because it just looks bad.” But ‘loyalty’ and keeping things private? JJ would just ask, ‘What’s that?’ So, in true JJ fashion, he went transparent-for-the-cameras, not for the locker room.

The comments on the poll were nothing but a gut punch for America’s Team. One wrote, “This should have been taken care of much earlier. Jerry messed this up the same way that he messed up Cee Dee and Dak. We need a real GM that can make smart moves and not be the Press or Marketing person for the Cowboys.” But no matter how many fans shout “hire a real GM!”, Jerry’s ears must have noise-cancelling built in. And when Dale Hansen asked if there’s any team, any sport, that’d hire him as GM based on his record? JJ blabbered for nearly twelve seconds and, well, crickets. He’s convinced nobody else could ever run the show better. And look, he did make the Cowboys worth $13 billion – the biggest sports franchise on earth. But even those billions can’t buy a championship.

Parsons, now hauling in a record $47 million per season in Green Bay, gets his dream, while Dallas settles for two first-round picks and a run stuffer, Kenny Clark. Fans weren’t having it: “Sick and Tired of Jerry Jones Screwing up a good thing. That’s why America’s Team has not been to a NFC Championship game/Superbowl! What a waste of Talent. Why bother drafting players when you refuse to pay them!” And that exactly is the saddest part – why draft such outstanding talent when you have no intention of utilising their potential?

Parsons, who was drafted by the Cowboys in the 2021 Draft, has crashed through the Cowboys’ history books. The first Cowboy ever to snag AP Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Parsons also became the franchise’s first defensive rookie named to the AP All-Pro Team. He set a club rookie record with 13.0 sacks – tied for third most by a rookie in NFL history. And he wasn’t a one-hit wonder either. He earned first-team All-Pro honors in each of his first two seasons. A feat only matched by legends like Reggie White and Aldon Smith. Yet, despite all this, Jerry dragged out the drama. He denied trade talks publicly and insisted contract negotiations were ongoing even as talks stalled and Parsons sat out practices.

Talks began before the 2024 season when Parsons’ agent first reached out about an extension. Dallas was reluctant to start serious discussions at the time. Micah delivered stellar performances in 2024, including 12 sacks and a fourth straight Pro Bowl. So, he pushed again post-season for a new deal, but the front office didn’t engage his agent. A key moment occurred in March 2025, when Parsons met with Jerry Jones to discuss leadership and a contract. JJ believed they had a deal, but Parsons insisted Jones negotiate with his agent, who never got the call. It’s even speculated that the deal went south because Parsons insisted it be done with an agent, rather than through the back door, as Jerry Jones prefers. 

Parsons showed good faith by attending voluntary workouts and reporting to training camp, but sat out practices displaying frustration. By August 1, Parsons publicly requested a trade. JJ initially denied the possibility, but over the next weeks, the stalemate hardened until Dallas finally traded Parsons to Green Bay on August 28, ending a slow, public unraveling of a once-promising partnership. 

Parsons himself said, “I never wanted this chapter to end, but not everything was in my control. My heart has always been here, and it still is. Through it all, I never made any demands. I never asked for anything more than fairness. I only asked that the person I trust to negotiate my contract to be part of the process.” Dallas may never forget this summer. As a reader noted, “He will be missed and them boys are going to feel the pain coming soon. Bad deal.”

However, there is a flip side to all this drama, where some fans believe that shipping Parsons out was the right thing to do. 

The good riddance crowd (Jerry Jones would approve)

Not everyone lit a torch – 34.5% of our poll said “good riddance.” Here’s their argument: Parsons is a “diva,” and star players who get paid megabucks rarely fulfill those contracts. “I’m ALSO GLAD TO SEE JERRY HAD THE B—S TO STAND ON THE PRINCIPLES. It’s not feasible to pay your money to so many players. You are limited due to the cap and have to have money for other players, too,” commented one. There’s relief in the idea that Jerry Jones finally stood his ground.

Some fans cheered JJ for his principles, arguing the franchise was wise to reset the cap and focus on team culture. “Now let’s focus on football as a team,” said another. They saw the locker room drama and expensive negotiations as an annual distraction. Maybe Parsons’ walking away was a “good riddance” for some Cowboys fans. But make no mistake – Parsons got exactly what he was chasing. The Green Bay Packers locked him down with a staggering four-year, $188 million contract that includes $136 million fully guaranteed and an average of $47 million per season – making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

One of our readers was even more than happy that JJ let Micah go. “Greedy b—–d just like most football players. There is no loyalty anymore! F him…you can’t pay three or four players on a team exuberant amounts of money and expect to have a good team. The other players won’t get near as much money and won’t be as good.”

Still, even the “yes” crowd isn’t optimistic about wins. “We shouldn’t expect the Cowboys to win many games this year.” The consensus: Parsons may thrive in Green Bay, Dallas may get some breathing room, but no one’s predicting a real turnaround soon – just a pause in Jerry Jones’ drama before the next episode.