Cowboys trade Micah Parsons to Packers in blockbuster
Story by
Cowboys trade Micah Parsons to Packers in blockbuster
Nick Brinkerhoff and Jack McKessy, USA TODAY·USA TODAY Sports
·
2 min read
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Micah Parsonswanted a new contract from theDallas Cowboys. On Thursday, the Cowboys decided he would have to settle for a new city.
The Cowboys havetradedParsons to theGreen Bay Packers, a source confirmed to USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon. The Cowboys are receiving two first-round picks as part of the return.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Parsons also agreed to a four-year, $188 million extension deal withGreen Bay, including $136 million guaranteed, making him the new highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
A relationship that began with such promise ends on a sour note for the Cowboys' first round pick in 2021. Drafted 12th overall, Parsons became a fixture in the Dallas defense – rising to stardom almost instantly as the Defensive Rookie of the Year and All-Pro.
It all began to fall apart this offseason, however, asParsons sought a new contractfrom the Cowboys. Both sides dug their heels in, with more than a few bizarre twists and turns along the way.
The Cowboys are no stranger to contract disputes with their stars, but have traditionally resolved them – as evidenced by theDak PrescottandCeeDee Lambextensions in 2024.
Jones previously noted that he had no plans to trade Parsons and pointed out that the Cowboys can retain him for three more seasons – thanks to one year left on his current contract and two franchise tags.
Plans changed quickly and Parsons is set to suit up for a new team in 2025 and beyond. Here's a look at what it took for the Cowboys to trade their superstar on the edge.
Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys (2025) — Parsons, a perennial Pro Bowl pass rusher, requested a trade on Aug. 1 amid stagnant contract negotiations with the Cowboys. On Aug. 28, Parsons was traded to the Green Bay Packers.
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)
CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys (2024) — Lamb didn't attend any offseason activities with the team after leading the league with 135 catches and setting career highs with 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns. The holdout ended when he signed his four-year, $136 million deal in late August 2024.
(Tim Heitman, Imagn Images)
Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs (2023) — Jones began his holdout at the end of July 2023, when the defensive tackle did not report to Chiefs training camp, and continued until after Week 1 of the 2023 regular season. Jones signed a one-year deal and returned to the team in time for Week 2. Jones went on to have a career year for Kansas City, recording 10.5 sacks and making his second straight All-Pro first team. After the season, he signed a five-year extension worth $158.75 million.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, USA TODAY Sports)
Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys (2023) — After an excellent nine seasons with Dallas to start his career – nine years that included six first-team All-Pro selections – Martin held out of training camp while trying to receive a new deal. Martin received his deal – a two-year, $36.85 million contract – and played it out before retiring after the 2024 season.
(Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports)
Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys (2019) — After three excellent seasons with the Cowboys to begin his career, Elliott held out almost all of training camp for a new contract before his fourth season began. The result was a six-year, $90 million extension, which preceded four consecutive years of declining production before Dallas released him in 2023.
(Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports)
Melvin Gordon, Los Angeles Chargers (2019) — Gordon had been averaging over 900 yards per season in his first four years with the Chargers heading into his fifth-year option season with Los Angeles, and he wanted to cash in on an extension. He went on to hold out of training camp, the preseason and the first three games of the regular season before reporting to the team with no new deal. Gordon started 11 games and rushed for 612 yards and eight touchdowns in his last year with the team that drafted him.
(Denny Medley, USA TODAY Sports)
Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers (2018) — In January 2018, Bell warned the Steelers that he'd consider sitting out the season if the team were to place the franchise tag on him for a second straight year. That March, the Steelers used the franchise tag on Bell, who refused to sign the tag and went on to sit out the entirety of the 2018 season. He signed with the Jets in free agency the following offseason.
(Charles LeClaire, USA TODAY Sports)
Earl Thomas, Seattle Seahawks (2018) — Thomas sat out all of training camp and preseason activities as he held out for a contract, but never ended up reaching an agreement before he returned to the team just in time for Week 1. Four weeks later, Thomas was flipping the bird to the Seahawks' sideline as he was carted off the field with a broken leg. It was his last game in Seattle.
(Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports)
Darrelle Revis, New York Jets (2010) — Adding to the drama of the Jets' appearance on "Hard Knocks," Revis sat out all of training camp and preseason action waiting for a new contract. He finally got a four-year deal with the Jets a week before the team's regular-season opener.
(Jim McIsaac, Getty Images)
JaMarcus Russell, Oakland Raiders (2007) — Russell's holdout lasted all of his first training camp and extended through the first week of the 2007 regular season before the Raiders signed their No. 1 overall pick to a six-year deal. Perhaps in hindsight, the Raiders wish they had let that holdout continue indefinitely.
(Kirby Lee, US PRESSWIRE)
Emmitt Smith, Dallas Cowboys (1993) — Smith led the NFL in rushing yards (1,713) and touchdowns (18) in 1992, then sat out of training camp and the Cowboys' first two games in 1993. Dallas went 0-2 without Smith, then paid him with a four-year, $13.6 million deal.
(TIM ROBERTS, AFP via Getty Images)
Kelly Stouffer, Arizona Cardinals (1987) — Stouffer – the sixth overall pick by the then-St. Louis Cardinals in 1987 – sat out all of his rookie season due to contract issues. The Cardinals moved to Arizona the following year and traded Stouffer to Seattle for two fifth-round picks and a first-rounder. Stouffer played in 22 games for the Seahawks and went 5-11 in his 16 starts for the team.
(Manny Rubio, US PRESSWIRE)
Bo Jackson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1986) — The Buccaneers hosted Jackson on a visit to team facilities while he was still in college, but their use of a private plane to get him there rendered him ineligible to play his final season of college baseball. Jackson was so furious with Tampa Bay that he refused to play for them despite being the No. 1 overall pick of the 1986 NFL Draft. A year later, the Raiders drafted Jackson in the seventh round and allowed him to continue his baseball career with the Kansas City Royals.
(US PRESSWIRE)
Eric Dickerson, Los Angeles Rams (1985) — Dickerson set the all-time, single-season rushing record with 2,105 yards in 1984 and wanted to cash in on his success with a new contract. When the Rams refused, Dickerson sat out the first two games of the 1985 season before eventually returning to action. The running back's contract issues with the Rams were never fully resolved, and he was subsequently traded to the Indianapolis Colts in 1987.
(Manny Rubio, US PRESSWIRE)
Duane Thomas, Dallas Cowboys (1971) — Thomas demanded a reworked contract ahead of his second NFL season, but the Cowboys declined. Thomas ripped into the team before refusing to report to training camp. Dallas then traded the running back to the New England Patriots, but the Patriots petitioned then-league commissioner Pete Rozelle to void the trade within days. Thomas was back with the Cowboys, who went on to win the Super Bowl. Dallas traded him to the Chargers the following offseason.
(Tony Tomsic, USA TODAY Sports)
1/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys (2025) — Parsons, a perennial Pro Bowl pass rusher, requested a trade on Aug. 1 amid stagnant contract negotiations with the Cowboys. On Aug. 28, Parsons was traded to the Green Bay Packers.
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)
1/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys (2025) — Parsons, a perennial Pro Bowl pass rusher, requested a trade on Aug. 1 amid stagnant contract negotiations with the Cowboys. On Aug. 28, Parsons was traded to the Green Bay Packers.
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)
2/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys (2024) — Lamb didn't attend any offseason activities with the team after leading the league with 135 catches and setting career highs with 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns. The holdout ended when he signed his four-year, $136 million deal in late August 2024.
(Tim Heitman, Imagn Images)
3/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs (2023) — Jones began his holdout at the end of July 2023, when the defensive tackle did not report to Chiefs training camp, and continued until after Week 1 of the 2023 regular season. Jones signed a one-year deal and returned to the team in time for Week 2. Jones went on to have a career year for Kansas City, recording 10.5 sacks and making his second straight All-Pro first team. After the season, he signed a five-year extension worth $158.75 million.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, USA TODAY Sports)
4/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys (2023) — After an excellent nine seasons with Dallas to start his career – nine years that included six first-team All-Pro selections – Martin held out of training camp while trying to receive a new deal. Martin received his deal – a two-year, $36.85 million contract – and played it out before retiring after the 2024 season.
(Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports)
5/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys (2019) — After three excellent seasons with the Cowboys to begin his career, Elliott held out almost all of training camp for a new contract before his fourth season began. The result was a six-year, $90 million extension, which preceded four consecutive years of declining production before Dallas released him in 2023.
(Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports)
6/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Melvin Gordon, Los Angeles Chargers (2019) — Gordon had been averaging over 900 yards per season in his first four years with the Chargers heading into his fifth-year option season with Los Angeles, and he wanted to cash in on an extension. He went on to hold out of training camp, the preseason and the first three games of the regular season before reporting to the team with no new deal. Gordon started 11 games and rushed for 612 yards and eight touchdowns in his last year with the team that drafted him.
(Denny Medley, USA TODAY Sports)
7/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers (2018) — In January 2018, Bell warned the Steelers that he'd consider sitting out the season if the team were to place the franchise tag on him for a second straight year. That March, the Steelers used the franchise tag on Bell, who refused to sign the tag and went on to sit out the entirety of the 2018 season. He signed with the Jets in free agency the following offseason.
(Charles LeClaire, USA TODAY Sports)
8/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Earl Thomas, Seattle Seahawks (2018) — Thomas sat out all of training camp and preseason activities as he held out for a contract, but never ended up reaching an agreement before he returned to the team just in time for Week 1. Four weeks later, Thomas was flipping the bird to the Seahawks' sideline as he was carted off the field with a broken leg. It was his last game in Seattle.
(Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports)
9/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Darrelle Revis, New York Jets (2010) — Adding to the drama of the Jets' appearance on "Hard Knocks," Revis sat out all of training camp and preseason action waiting for a new contract. He finally got a four-year deal with the Jets a week before the team's regular-season opener.
(Jim McIsaac, Getty Images)
10/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
JaMarcus Russell, Oakland Raiders (2007) — Russell's holdout lasted all of his first training camp and extended through the first week of the 2007 regular season before the Raiders signed their No. 1 overall pick to a six-year deal. Perhaps in hindsight, the Raiders wish they had let that holdout continue indefinitely.
(Kirby Lee, US PRESSWIRE)
11/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Emmitt Smith, Dallas Cowboys (1993) — Smith led the NFL in rushing yards (1,713) and touchdowns (18) in 1992, then sat out of training camp and the Cowboys' first two games in 1993. Dallas went 0-2 without Smith, then paid him with a four-year, $13.6 million deal.
(TIM ROBERTS, AFP via Getty Images)
12/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Kelly Stouffer, Arizona Cardinals (1987) — Stouffer – the sixth overall pick by the then-St. Louis Cardinals in 1987 – sat out all of his rookie season due to contract issues. The Cardinals moved to Arizona the following year and traded Stouffer to Seattle for two fifth-round picks and a first-rounder. Stouffer played in 22 games for the Seahawks and went 5-11 in his 16 starts for the team.
(Manny Rubio, US PRESSWIRE)
13/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Bo Jackson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1986) — The Buccaneers hosted Jackson on a visit to team facilities while he was still in college, but their use of a private plane to get him there rendered him ineligible to play his final season of college baseball. Jackson was so furious with Tampa Bay that he refused to play for them despite being the No. 1 overall pick of the 1986 NFL Draft. A year later, the Raiders drafted Jackson in the seventh round and allowed him to continue his baseball career with the Kansas City Royals.
(US PRESSWIRE)
14/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Eric Dickerson, Los Angeles Rams (1985) — Dickerson set the all-time, single-season rushing record with 2,105 yards in 1984 and wanted to cash in on his success with a new contract. When the Rams refused, Dickerson sat out the first two games of the 1985 season before eventually returning to action. The running back's contract issues with the Rams were never fully resolved, and he was subsequently traded to the Indianapolis Colts in 1987.
(Manny Rubio, US PRESSWIRE)
15/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Duane Thomas, Dallas Cowboys (1971) — Thomas demanded a reworked contract ahead of his second NFL season, but the Cowboys declined. Thomas ripped into the team before refusing to report to training camp. Dallas then traded the running back to the New England Patriots, but the Patriots petitioned then-league commissioner Pete Rozelle to void the trade within days. Thomas was back with the Cowboys, who went on to win the Super Bowl. Dallas traded him to the Chargers the following offseason.
Parsons has been a superstar ever since he stepped onto the field for the Cowboys. He's registered at least 12 sacks in all four seasons, totaling 52.5 in 63 games.
The 12th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, Parsons has been stacking awards and accolades over the years. He's a four-time Pro Bowler, a two-time All-Pro and was named the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2021.
With 256 total tackles and 112 quarterback hits, Parsons has been a one-man wrecking crew for the Dallas defense. Now he's set to cash in on all that work to this point.
