Against the Atlanta Falcons Friday, Aug. 22, former Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons was sidelined once again due to the ongoing contract dispute with the Dallas Cowboys.
He was the only player not in his jersey and he was also spotted eating nachos before kickoff and resting on the training table while Dallas' offense was on the field. These actions only continued what his prior social media move Thursday night hinted at: that he's ready to cut ties with the Cowboys.
"Without talking to Micah, I need to figure out what he was doing and why he was doing it," head coach Brian Schottenheimer said to ESPN's Todd Archer on Saturday, though he was not aware of Parsons' in-game behavior specifically.
Laying on the training table was the one thing fans harped on, which prompted Parsons to make a response on social media.
I actually appreciate this 🙏🏾. The way media shapes perception and narratives is wild—and if he hadn’t said anything, everyone would’ve just run with it. I’d never disrespect the guys out there fighting for their lives. https://t.co/pMjSZi8DqY
— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) August 23, 2025
Schottenheimer is confident the former Nittany Lion will be available for Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles, but things are trending in the direction of Parsons being available for a different team.
According to ESPN's Sam Acho, he predicts the defensive end will be traded. The Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones claimed that the team plans on franchise tagging him to keep Parsons around for the next three years, but Parsons and his agent David Mulugheta are adamant about some sort of movement in this debacle: either negotiate a deal or strike a deal with another team.
Acho said that though Thursday, Sept. 4 may roll around with Parsons available for the game, it's unlikely his 2025 season remains with Dallas throughout.
"It does not look like it’s going to end amicably. Will [Parsons] make a change? Will [Jones] come to terms?" Acho said on SportsCenter. "I cannot wait to watch how this ends up, not just over the next 11 days, but maybe even over the next few months . . . I actually do [believe he’ll play elsewhere]. I don’t . . . think he’ll be traded by Week One, but I don’t see him suiting up. I don’t see [Parsons and Mulghetta] succumbing to the demands . . . Jones has a change of heart. That’s what I’m excited to see.”
Not playing would lose Parsons roughly $1.25 million per game, and if Jones franchise tags him, it's going to be a whole other mess both parties will need to deal with. It's frustrating for Parsons in this situation, too, because if the Cowboys and Jones aren't willing to express interest in trading him, he's stuck without a contract negotiation underway, a stubborn team owner and general manager, and losing money for however long these antics hold up for.