Who's 'indispensable'? Micah Parsons-Jerry Jones saga continues after tie

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Who's 'indispensable'? Micah Parsons-Jerry Jones saga continues after tie

Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Mon, Sep 29, 2025 ·

5 min read

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ARLINGTON, TX – Micah 40, Jerry 40.

The wild drama at AT&T Stadium on Sunday night would not have been complete without a few more not-so-subtle jabs from Micah Parsons and Jerry Jones.

Overtime just wasn't enough.

So, during his traditional postgame media buffet outside the locker room, the Dallas Cowboys owner set the record straight on why he made quarterback Dak Prescott the highest-paid player in NFL history with a $60 million-per-year deal and ultimately shipped Parsons to the Green Bay Packers rather than signing the premier pass-rusher to another type of record contract.

"It's very simple," Jones said. "Dak was indispensable in my mind … and Micah wasn't."

Parsons, who may have prevented the Cowboys from winning with a touchdown-saving sack of Prescott in overtime , had his own view of the business matters that juiced the plot for the primetime showcase. He still seemed a bit miffed that Jones – who at one point thought he had a "handshake deal" on a contract extension for Parsons before the negotiations went sideways – never directly told him that he was traded.

"The same way he called me into his office as a man, he couldn't tell me as a man," said Parsons, who still hasn't spoken to Jones since the trade. "So, to me, that emotion side was gone. It was more a respect factor at this point."

Anybody for double overtime?

The Cowboys and Packers produced the NFL's highest-scoring tie game since the 1970 merger in a marathon that included Dallas clawing back from an early 13-point deficit, seven lead changes, questionable game-management in crunch time from Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur and two crucial Brandon McManus field goals to force OT and end OT.

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)

Yet clearly the Parsons saga provided the marquee value.

Prescott, by the way, was amazing. He passed for 339 yards and three touchdowns. And after his incredible, 34-yard connection to Jalen Tolbert in overtime – the receiver circled back to make a diving catch while managing to keep his feet inbounds by dragging his toes on the second foot – the Cowboys were set up at the 5-yard line with a chance for a go-ahead touchdown.

But on second-and-goal from the 4-yard line, Parsons made the defensive play of the night after Prescott scrambled from the pocket with a clear path to the end zone. He notched his only sack of the game by dropping Prescott from behind. Two plays later, the Cowboys settled for a 22-yard Brandon Aubrey field goal for a 40-37 lead that allowed the Packers the chance to win or tie with their ensuing OT possession.

It was a huge play at the perfect time, which is what the Packers were banking on when they traded two first-round picks and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark to Dallas on Aug. 28. The exchange also included Green Bay signing Parsons to a four-year extension that averages $46.5 million per year to make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in league history.

"I'm here at the podium because I'm supposed to make that play," Parsons said during his postgame press conference. "Not because, 'Oh my God, he made a play.' I'm supposed to make that play. I'm supposed to help our defense. That's the reason I was brought here."

Still, Parsons didn't quite get the last laugh on the Cowboys. He didn't exactly extract in-your-face revenge against Jones. He didn't even bag a victory that would have kept the Packers (2-1-1) in first place in the NFC North..

After all, ties are like kissing your sister – or in this case your former team.

"I'm pissed off," Parsons said, reflecting on the outcome. "I'm very disappointed, just overall, how we performed."

Sep 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) throws under pressure from Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons (1) in the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

We get it. The Packers were heavily favored to steamroll the Cowboys (1-2-1), whose defense has major holes that only begin with the lack of a premier pass-rusher after dealing away Parsons in the stunning move a month earlier.

No doubt, the Dallas defense lived up to its reputation and was scorched again. Yet Parsons knew. His new defense, lit up by Prescott, George Pickens (8 catches, 134 yards, 2 TDs) and a few others, played like his old defense.

"Giving up 40 points … that's just unacceptable," he said.

It's no wonder that Parsons, as he described it, pulled Packers quarterback Jordan Love to the side and thanked him "for having our back today."

Love, like Prescott, passed for three touchdowns. He completed 31 of 43 passes for 337 yards and engineered the drives that ended with the McManus field goals that forced overtime and sealed the tie.

"That's why it's so pivotal to play complementary football," Parsons said. "Because today, Jordan played like the player he (is) and we let him down."

Micah Parsons tallies critical sack on former teammate Dak Prescott

Maybe even worse was that Jones – who won in another sense as a crowd of 93,353 showed up at Jerry World and well, dropped all kinds of cash – has fresh material to justify trading away a star player in his prime against a torrential rain of criticism.

See, in this situation, a tie for the Cowboys – playing without injured star receiver Cee Dee Lamb – seemed like a win. Remember, they were major underdogs against a team that is cast as a Super Bowl favorite with Parsons added to the mix.

And Jones, who hasn't been shy in reiterating that the Cowboys never won a Super Bowl with Parsons, could take solace in the effort and bottom-line result. Parsons, who had three tackles and three quarterback hits to go with his sack, brought a decent amount of pressure but he didn't dominate the game. Not when his unit gave up 40 points.

"We knew he was there," Jones said. "And he made a difference. But that's the way it goes. Whether we like it or not, I'll take my side of it. And Green Bay can have their side of it."

These lingering sentiments beg to be continued.

Who won the trade? Time will tell. Championship pursuits and the development of future draft picks are undoubtedly potential swing factors.

Yet the first matchup pitting Parsons against Jones could be symbolic for scoring the trade. At least for now, it looks like a draw.

Contact Jarrett Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on social media: On X: @JarrettBell

On Bluesky: jarrettbell.bsky.social

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Micah Parsons, Jerry Jones tied - for now - like Packers-Cowboys

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Who's 'indispensable'? Micah Parsons-Jerry Jones saga continues after tie

Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history

Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history

Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history

Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history

Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history

Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history

Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history

Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history

Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history

Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history

Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history

Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history

Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history

Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history

Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history

Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history