Micah Parsons requests trade in response to Cowboys' contract silence

Micah Parsons says "I no longer want to play for the Dallas Cowboys."
Former Penn State football and Dallas Cowboys defenseman Micah Parsons (11) during training camp at the River Ridge Fields.
Former Penn State football and Dallas Cowboys defenseman Micah Parsons (11) during training camp at the River Ridge Fields. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Earlier on Friday, it was reported that Dallas Cowboys defensive end Micah Parsons started considering other routes to take instead of sitting in the team's silence regarding his contract extension.

His rookie contract is up after 2025 and owner Jerry Jones hasn't given Parsons' agent the time of day to figure out a negotiation and get the extension settled. The team has ignored and iced out Parsons' agent, but the Penn State product wasn't waiting much longer.

In the afternoon of Aug. 1, Parsons released a statement that he submitted a trade request to Stephen Jones.

"Yes I wanted to be here. I did everything I could to show that I wanted to be a Cowboy and wear the star on my helmet . . . Unfortunately I no longer want to be here," Parsons wrote. "I no longer want to be held to close door negotiations without my agent present. I no longer want shots taken at me for getting injured while laying it on the line for the organization our fans and my teammates.

"I no longer want narrative created and spread to the media about me . . . Up to today the team has not had a single conversation with my agent about a contract. Not one demand has been made by my agent about money years or anything else . . . I no longer want to play for the Dallas Cowboys. My trade request has been submitted to Stephen Jones personally."

In his statement Parsons also explained a conversation with Jones back in March that was not about contract negotiations, but rather leadership. The conversation shifted to discussion about his contract, but was not a formal negotation. Parsons said he wanted his agent present, but the team told the agent that "the deal was pretty much already done." His agent dismissed this and the team has been silent since.

Following the release of his statement, an old social media post resurfaced.

In the post, Parsons replied to a post regarding Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava holding out of spring practice as his representatives negotiate doubling his NIL deal.

"College football is a joke now! Yall [might as] well just make college into a semi pro league!" Parsons wrote on April 11. "Actually hold players accountable to the contracts they sign!"

Parsons' current situation is different, though, especially because his agent is looking to work on a contract extension as the current deal expires after the 2025 season. Iamaleava, on the other hand, is holding out due to wanting to double his current NIL deal, not negotiate an extension for an expiring contract. Still, unfortunate timing as a not too many months later, Parsons was in the same situation (except reasonable).