The Cowboys in the late ’80s and the Cowboys now are two totally different stories. Sure, they weren’t winning Super Bowls back then, and they’re not winning them now either. But before Jimmy Johnson showed up, that team was flat-out ugly. Fast forward to today, Brian Schottenheimer is leading Dallas. Dak Prescott’s under centre. And the Cowboys are hoping for a postseason run.

Whether that actually happens is another conversation. But the one thing tying that late ’80s Cowboys to today’s version? A blockbuster veteran trade. Back then, it was Herschel Walker. Now, it’s Micah Parsons. Which naturally raises a question: Is it fair to compare these two blockbuster trades? Troy Aikman doesn’t think so.

“I don’t think it’s an apples-to-apples comparison talking about the Herschel trade versus the Micah Parsons trade,” Aikman said in a conversation with The Musers. “I think those are two totally different situations, and how, you know, how they have to be looked at that.”

Back in 1989, Dallas traded Walker to the Vikings for a total of five players and six future draft picks. That allowed Johnson to establish the Cowboys’ dynasty. Fast forward to today, and Jerry Jones tried to mimic the act once again. He sent Micah away in exchange for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round draft picks.

Ever since, talk of those two trades has been swirling. But let’s break down why Aikman isn’t buying the comparison.

• Team context: Walker was traded when Dallas was a 1–15 disaster. Meanwhile, Parsons moved while the Cowboys were still playoff contenders in the Dak Prescott era.
• Trade structure: Walker’s deal was an 18-player, pick-heavy mega-trade. Parsons brought back two first-rounders and Kenny Clark: A much smaller, simpler package.
• Player impact: Walker’s picks built Dallas’ dynasty (Walker himself produced limited long-term team success for Minnesota). Parsons, meanwhile, was already an All-Pro & 4x Pro Bowler. Plus, his departure immediately created a defensive gap rather than fueling a rebuild. (Honourable mention: Russell Wilson torching their defense while throwing for 450 yards).
• Strategic differences: In 1989, Johnson cut or flipped the players he got to collect Minnesota’s conditional picks. For Dallas, it was a smart cap-to-picks move that built stars like Darren Woodson. On the other side, Parsons’ trade was a straightforward player-for-picks-plus-player deal, driven by contract issues and roster needs, not a pre-planned strategy to convert talent into long-term draft capital.

So when Aikman says that the Walker-Parsons trade can’t be compared, let’s just say that the Cowboys’ legend has got a lot of points to justify his statement. “With Herschel, they were the worst team in football the year before I got there when Herschel, I believe, led the league in rushing that year in ‘88“, Aikman added.

“Then in ‘89, we obviously got off to a tough start, and I think that, in a lot of ways, for us in the offense and what we were doing, there was a challenge in trying to figure out exactly how to use Herschel within our offensive scheme. So, the team was bad with him when he led the league. We were bad with him the following year, my rookie year, Jimmy [Johnson’s] first year.”

After Walker’s historic trade, the Cowboys went on to draft multiple stars and won three Super Bowls. While it’s too early to say whether Jerry Jones can pull off the same success after sending away Micah, we do know one thing for now: Micah Parsons is returning to Dallas for the first time after being traded to Green Bay.

Is it just another game or something special for Micah Parsons?

“Thank you, Jerry Jones,” that was the collective response from the Packers crowd after Green Bay welcomed one of the best pass rushers in the league. How will the Cowboys’ Nation react when Micah returns to AT&T Stadium this week? That remains to be seen.

But if you ask Micah himself, he’d say that “It’s just going to be another game for me,” and that he is fueled “trying to be the best player, rather than anything external. The signs are clear: Parsons isn’t paying much attention to what happened before the trade and what’s going to happen when he returns to Dallas after the trade.

“Once the game starts, who’s going to be worried about any trade?” The 26-year-old said. “It’s just me against them five in front of me, and then we’ve got one common goal, and that’s to win the football game. How we win the football game is winning the line of scrimmage and affecting Dak (Prescott) and how good he’s been playing this year.”

One of the most eye-catching moments at AT&T Stadium this week will be Parsons going up against his former QB. Dak’s already thrown for 800 yards with a 71% completion rate through three games. Will Micah get to him? We’ll find out Sunday when the Cowboys face the Packers.