The Dallas Cowboys just lost 34-17 to the New York Giants in Week 18, officially ending their 2025 campaign with a brutal loss. But it wasn’t without a few historic milestones of its own. And the biggest came from a defender who just ran head-to-head with a Micah Parsons record.

“Jadeveon Clowney has 2.0 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery today,” wrote the Dallas Cowboys Public Relations handle on X. “He is the sixth Cowboys since 1982 – first since Micah Parsons in 2023 against the N.Y. Jets – to achieve this feat.”

Parsons set that last benchmark back in Week 2 of the 2023 season against the New York Jets. The Cowboys won 30-10, and Parsons earned the NFC Defensive Player of the Week. On that day, he’d also added three tackles, two for loss, and six quarterback pressures. And now, Jadeveon Clowney hasn’t just matched his record; he’s surpassed it.

Clowney’s Week 18 outing was pure dominance. He added one more sack to tally up the day’s box score to 3. What’s more, he finished with 6 tackles, four for loss (matching his single-game career-best), and three QB hits.

With this stat line, he is now the only Cowboy since 1982 to have this milestone, per Clarence Hill Jr. Clowney also matched the franchise’s single-game sack record with DeMarcus Lawrence. Lawrence had achieved this feat in 2022 against the New York Giants. Basically, Jadeveon Clowney just made it to the Cowboys’ history books. But it comes with a little stinger.

The Cowboys are done for the season, finishing with a 7-9-1 record. Clowney, meanwhile, has had a massive season, logging 41 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and two fumble returns. And here’s what hurts: Clowney had a $750,000 bonus en route to him if he hit 8 sacks on the season. He surpassed that mark by 0.5 sacks, but his big payday won’t arrive since the clause for that payout stated Dallas needs to make the playoffs.

Clowney came to Dallas this season on a one-year deal. But it looks like he’s done more than enough to wear the star for another season at least. With Parsons now resting with the Green Bay Packers, veterans like Clowney can take up the helm and spark the Dallas defense if they extend his tenure.

This historic achievement comes on the heels of reignited tensions between Parson and Cowboys owner and general manager, Jerry Jones. The feud that dominated headlines all offseason hasn’t died down even as the season concludes.

The Micah Parsons vs. Jerry Jones battle rages on

It all started with Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus admitting in a Thursday presser leading up to Week 18 that the Micah Parsons trade significantly impacted the Cowboys’ defense. Eberflus’s admission essentially acknowledged what Jerry Jones has denied for months.

“Obviously you have an All-Pro pass rusher that wins really quick, that’s certainly going to help any defense if it’s Micah or if it’s Myles [Garrett],” Eberflus admitted. “That impact player is always going to help to a certain degree on pass downs and other downs.”

Jones had maintained that losing Parsons wouldn’t matter, claiming the draft capital return would strengthen the roster and push the Cowboys to the playoffs. Instead, the defense collapsed to historically bad levels. Seeing Eberflus’ admission, Parsons fired back on X with a series of laughing emojis, clearly enjoying the validation. But he didn’t stop there. When his reaction was questioned, he unleashed a pointed message at Jerry Jones.

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“Ya’ll want me to feel bad?” Parson wrote on X. “Jerry Jones slandered my name to Cowboys media and national media for months. So I do think I can react to comment if I want to!”

Parsons, who was placed on season-ending IR after tearing his ACL with the Packers in Week 15 against the Denver Broncos, seems content watching his former team’s defense crumble. His bitterness stems from Jones’ public handling of their contract dispute and eventual trade.

Surprisingly, Jones has taken the high road, at least on the surface. During his regular appearance on 105.3 The Fan, Jones addressed Parsons’ criticism with measured words.

“I wish Micah the very best,” Jones said. “I’d love to have Micah on the team. But we just couldn’t afford him. We wanted four or five players more than we did him. But he’s outstanding. I understand his sensitivity and can even understand these comments.”

The season’s over for the Cowboys. Now, they must reckon with multiple reality checks. Was Eberflus right in his belief that they desperately needed a player like Micah? Or was Jerry Jones correct in banking on draft capital to fuel his rebuild? With one of the worst defenses in the league and a missed playoff berth, these questions will haunt the Star until they find answers.