Tag: Dallas

Feb 2, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys receiver George Pickens during NFC practice at the NFL Flag Fieldhouse at Moscone Center South Building. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Report: Cowboys to place franchise tag on George Pickens

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told the team’s website that Dallas wants to keep George Pickens for “a long time,” and will take a step toward that by placing the franchise tag on the Pro Bowl wide receiver, ESPN reported on Saturday.

Per the report, the fully guaranteed tag — which can be applied from Feb. 17 to March 3 — will cost the Cowboys approximately $28 million.

By placing the tag on Pickens, Dallas would limit his free agent options and up the odds that he would stay put following a 93-catch, nine-touchdown and 1,429-yard campaign — all career-high numbers. Pickens also collected his first Pro Bowl nod and earned second-team all-NFL honors per the Associated Press.

“I’m talking to George all the time by virtue of my excitement for him,” Jones told the team website this week. “He’s better than, as far as what he contributed to our team, showing the potential that he could contribute. I’m looking forward to getting things worked out so George can be a Cowboy a long time.”

Pickens, who turns 25 on March 4, is among 15 unrestricted free agents for the Cowboys — a group that includes defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and running back Javonte Williams.

Count quarterback Dak Prescott among those in Cowboys camp who want to see the former Georgia star receiver return this fall.

“I think it must be done,” Prescott said at this week’s Pro Bowl Games. “I think obviously from Jerry to everybody down understands that. The impact on this offense and the team and the great player that he is, we’ve got to find a way to keep him here.”

In four NFL seasons, including the first three with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who selected him in the second round of the 2022 draft, Pickens has produced 267 receptions, 21 touchdowns and 4,270 receiving yards in 65 games (55 starts).

–Field Level Media

Reports: Packers claim former Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs

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The Green Bays bolstered an ailing defensive secondary on Wednesday by claiming cornerback Trevon Diggs off waivers from the Dallas Cowboys, according to multiple media reports.

The Cowboys released the two-time Pro Bowl cornerback on Tuesday. Dallas coach Brian Schottenheimer said Wednesday that Diggs was waived for multiple reasons, not just because he didn’t fly home with the team on Christmas after a win over the Washington Commanders. Diggs asked the coach if he could stay in his native Maryland to spend the holiday with family and was denied, then skipped the team flight.

The 27-year-old veteran would become a free agent if he went unclaimed, and any team claiming him would be on the hook for Diggs’ base salary of $472,000 for Week 18, plus $58,823 if he is active for this week’s game, per ESPN.

The playoff-bound Packers are short-handed after placing safety Zayne Anderson (ankle) and cornerback Nate Hobbs (knee) on injured reserve on Wednesday. Safety Johnathan Baldwin was signed from the practice squad to the active roster, and cornerback Tyron Herring was signed to the practice squad. Kamal Hadden (ankle) was placed on IR on Tuesday, and wide receiver Bo Melton moved across the line for more depth at cornerback.

Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said Wednesday that some starters won’t play on Sunday at Minnesota, which might mean resting starting cornerbacks Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine. The Packers (9-6-1) are seeded seventh in the NFC playoffs, and the Vikings (8-8) are out of the playoff race.

Diggs, a second-round pick by Dallas in the 2020 NFL Draft, signed a five-year, $97 million extension in July 2023 — with money guaranteed after this season. Since the signing, he has played in just 21 of a possible 50 games, dealing with multiple injuries.

He sustained a torn ACL in practice two games into the 2023 campaign and missed the rest of the season.

Diggs was activated from the physically unable to perform list in August after missing the final six games of the 2024 season with a left knee injury.

He then landed on injured reserve on Oct. 25, reportedly to address a right knee issue, although he also reportedly suffered a concussion in an “accident at his home” at some point after a Week 6 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Schottenheimer and owner Jerry Jones did not share details of the incident or explain how Diggs was injured.

Diggs returned to action for the Cowboys’ past two games, notching a combined seven tackles in a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers and a win over the Commanders.

Diggs has 25 tackles in eight games (six starts) this season for the Cowboys (7-8-1), whose season ends on the road Sunday against the New York Giants.

In 66 career games (63 starts), Diggs has 20 interceptions, 63 passes defensed and 240 tackles. He was named first-team All-Pro in 2021, when he led the league with 11 interceptions and returned two of them for touchdowns. He made the Pro Bowl in 2021 and 2022.

–Field Level Media

Cowboys release veteran CB Trevon Diggs

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Dallas Cowboys released two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old veteran will be subject to the waiver process and if unclaimed, will become a free agent.

Diggs confirmed the news to NFL Network, telling a reporter that “he will miss his time in Dallas, he assures me he is healthy and motivated as he looks to join another team looking for another piece to add this postseason.”

Diggs, a second-round pick by Dallas in the 2020 NFL Draft, signed a five-year, $97 million extension in July 2023.

Any team claiming him would be on the hook for Diggs’ base salary of $472,000 for Week 18, plus $58,823 if he is active for this week’s game, per ESPN.

Since signing the extension ahead of the 2023 season, Diggs has played in just 21 of a possible 50 games, dealing with multiple injuries.

He sustained a torn ACL in practice two games into the 2023 campaign and missed the rest of the season.

He was activated from the physically unable to perform list in August after missing the final six games of the 2024 season with a left knee injury.

Diggs then landed on injured reserve on Oct. 25, reportedly to help strengthen a right knee problem, though he also reportedly suffered a concussion in an “accident at his home” at some point after a Week 6 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer and owner Jerry Jones did not share details of the incident or described how Diggs was injured.

He returned to action for the Cowboys’ past two games, notching a combined seven tackles in a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers and a win over the Washington Commanders.

Diggs has 25 tackles in eight games (six starts) this season for the Cowboys (7-8-1), whose season ends on the road on Sunday against the New York Giants.

In 66 career games (63 starts), Diggs has 20 interceptions, 63 passes defensed and 240 tackles. He was named first-team All-Pro in 2021, when he led the league with 11 interceptions and returned two of them for touchdowns. He made the Pro Bowl in 2021 and 2022.

–Field Level Media

Mediocre Cowboys, injury-ravaged Commanders aim for ‘some success’

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The Dallas Cowboys visit the Washington Commanders on Christmas Day wondering what might have been.

With a pair of winnable division road games remaining (Commanders and Giants), the 6-8-1 Cowboys could finish with a .500 record — but there’s no possible path to the playoffs thanks to their recent showings. Since upsetting the Chiefs in Week 13 to improve to 6-5-1, the Cowboys have dropped three straight to the Lions, Vikings and Chargers — the latter two at home.

“We’ve done some things that we’re proud of this year. Certainly not the success in the win-loss column, that’s very evident, we’re disappointed about that,” said first-year Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer. “But I’m fueled by the fact that we get to play an NFC East opponent this week and then next week, and we want to win to sustain some success. We have a chance to go potentially 5-1 in the division.”

Meanwhile, the Commanders (4-11) are probably wondering what else can go wrong.

After oft-injured starting quarterback Jayden Daniels (elbow) was ruled out for the season after appearing in just seven games, Marcus Mariota led the team to a win against the Giants on Dec. 14 that snapped an eight-game losing streak. Washington then built a 10-7 halftime lead versus the visiting Eagles last Saturday. Mariota left in the third quarter with quad and hand injuries while Philadelphia rolled to a 29-18 victory that clinched the NFC East title.

Backup Josh Johnson finished 5 of 9 for 43 yards and an interception. The 39-year-old Johnson, in his 10th NFL season dating back to his debut in 2009, has played in 48 games with a 1-8 record in nine career starts. That win came in 2018 with Washington.

Mariota did not practice Monday or Tuesday as Johnson got the majority of reps, though the team did not name a starter.

“When you’re coaching (Johnson) and you’re talking through different concepts, he has thoughts on it,” said Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. “He’s been in it before. It may have been called eight different names and different systems he’s played in, but he’s probably repped it in a game at a time or two.”

Jeff Driskel, signed off Arizona’s practice squad on Monday, knows the system and also could step in. The 32-year-old served as Washington’s third-string quarterback last season.

Whoever starts likely will find themselves in a track meet against Dak Prescott and the Dallas offense, which ranks second in the NFL with 393.1 yards per game.

Prescott already has passed for 4,175 yards and leads the NFL in attempts (552) and completions (378). Receiver George Pickens has 88 catches for 1,342 yards and nine touchdowns. Prescott and Pickens are among the five Cowboys named to the Pro Bowl.

Despite the playoffs being out of reach, Prescott has no desire to sit out the final two games.

“I wanna show that every chance I can get out there, I’m trying to play, and to my standard, expectations and, not only that — as we’re just talking about how important it is to stop this losing streak and finish this season off with two wins,” he said.

Prescott threw three touchdown passes in the Cowboys’ 44-22 win against the visiting Commanders on Oct. 19, a game Daniels left with a hamstring injury.

Washington’s defense has not improved since. They rank 31st as they allow 382.7 yards per game. Dallas sits just one notch ahead with 380.1 yards surrendered per game. The Cowboys are allowing 30.3 points per game compared to 26.9 for the Commanders.

In addition to Mariota, Washington linebacker Nick Bellore (concussion), defensive tackle Daron Payne (back) and tackle Laremy Tunsil (oblique) were held out of practice Tuesday. Veteran defensive lineman Eddie Goldman (concussion) and rookie wide receiver Jaylin Lane (ankle) were placed on injured reserve.

For Dallas, wide receiver Ryan Flournoy (knee), starting left tackle Tyler Guyton (ankle) and starting linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (concussion) did not practice Tuesday.

–Field Level Media

Oct 12, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) throws the ball during the second quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

Rico Dowdle stars against ex-mates as Panthers top Cowboys

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Bryce Young threw for three touchdowns, Rico Dowdle rushed for 183 yards and caught a touchdown pass against his former team and the Carolina Panthers beat the Dallas Cowboys with a field goal on the final play Sunday afternoon in Charlotte.

Ryan Fitzgerald’s 33-yard kick for his third field goal of the game gave the Panthers (3-3) their second consecutive victory. They held the ball for 15 plays on the game’s last possession.

Young threw two touchdown passes to Tetairoa McMillan and another to Dowdle. He completed 17 of 25 passes for 199 yards and an interception. Dowdle, in his first season with Carolina after four years with the Cowboys, carried the ball 30 times and made four receptions for a team-high 56 receiving yards.

Dowdle finish with 239 scrimmage yards. He is the first player in Panthers history to top 200 in consecutive games.

Fitzgerald kicked first-half field goals of 31 and 55 yards.

Dak Prescott threw for three touchdowns and 261 yards on 25-for-34 passing for the Cowboys (2-3-1), who had only 31 rushing yards.

The Cowboys tied the score at 27 on Brandon Aubrey’s 28-yard field goal with 9:20 remaining. In the game Following punts by both teams, the Panthers gained possession at their own 17-yard line with 6:07 remaining. They converted on a fourth-and-4 play from the Dallas 40 on the final play before the two-minute warning on the way to setting up the winning field goal.

The Panthers went ahead when they drove 80 yards in the third quarter, with Young’s 36-yard pass to Dowdle finishing the four-play series.

Dallas was back ahead 24-20 by the end of the third quarter on Prescott’s 34-yard pass to George Pickens. Carolina regained the lead when Young’s 2-yard pass to McMillan completed a 10-play drive.

Dallas led 17-13 at halftime, largely because of Donovan Wilson’s interception and an ensuing penalty setting up the Cowboys at the Carolina 12-yard line. Prescott passed 3 yards to Hunter Luepke on fourth down for the points.

Young threw 19 yards to McMillan for Carolina’s first touchdown. That was countered by the Cowboys using 13 plays on a march that ended with Prescott’s 19-yard TD pass to Jake Ferguson.

–Field Level Media

Oct 5, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Dallas Cowboys Owner, President and general manager Jerry Jones stands on the field prior to a game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

NFL fines Cowboys’ Jerry Jones $250K for obscene gesture

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The NFL fined Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones $250,000 for making an obscene gesture — which he later called inadvertent — toward fans during the team’s road win Sunday against the New York Jets, according to multiple media reports on Tuesday.

Jones was shown in viral video on social media in his box at MetLife Stadium, N.J., pointing toward fans and then giving the middle finger.

He explained on Tuesday on his radio show that the finger was an accidental response to Cowboys fans celebrating quarterback Dak Prescott’s fourth touchdown pass in the 37-22 victory in East Rutherford, N.J.

“That was unfortunate. That was kind of an exchange with our fans out in front of us,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. “There was a swarm of Cowboys fans out in front — not Jets fans, Cowboys fans. The entire stadium was brimming with enthusiasm of Cowboys and certainly late in the game.

“(The gesture) was inadvertent on my part because that was right after we made our last touchdown, and we were all excited about it,” Jones said. “There wasn’t any antagonistic issue or anything like that. I just put up the wrong show on the hand. That was inadvertently done. I’m not kidding. If you want to call it accidental, you can call it accidental. But it got straightened around pretty quick. I had a chance to look at it. It got straightened out pretty quick, but the intention was ‘thumbs up,’ and basically pointing at our fans because everybody was jumping up and down excited.”

The Cowboys (2-2-1) on Sunday visit the Carolina Panthers (2-3), whose owner, David Tepper, was fined $300,000 for throwing a drink toward Jacksonville Jaguars fans during a 2023 game. The league also fined Bud Adams, then the owner of the Tennessee Titans, $250,000 in 2009 for waving middle fingers at Buffalo Bills fans.

–Field Level Media

Sep 29, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson (5) makes a catch against Miami Dolphins free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (29) during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Cowboys, winless Jets both feel urgency to win going into Sunday

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The New York Jets are one of three teams buried under a 0-4 start and are the only squad in the league not to force a turnover.

New York takes another shot at its first win in the Aaron Glenn era when it battles the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday afternoon at East Rutherford, N.J.

Dallas (1-2-1) has trouble stopping teams as it ranks last in total defense (420.5 yards per game) and 31st in scoring defense (33.0 points per game).

As for the Jets, they are having issues everywhere. And the situation is already bleak as the 1992 San Diego Chargers are the lone team in NFL history to recover from an 0-4 start and make the playoffs.

“Sometimes you’ve got to stop asking why and start talking about how,” Glenn told reporters. “Start having solutions for some of those things. I don’t want to put those solutions out because I want to keep those solutions in-house between our guys, and I know exactly what we’re going to do to try to help on some of those things.

“I think it’s going to be very beneficial for us moving forward when it comes to that, so every day we’ve got to continue to work on those things.”

The Jets are tied for 28th scoring defense (30.0) and rank last with a minus-7 turnover ratio.

In Monday night’s 27-21 road loss to the Dolphins, running back Braelon Allen lost a fumble at the Miami 1-yard line and New York was penalized 13 times for 101 yards.

Star wideout Garrett Wilson is having trouble accepting what’s going on.

“This past week was a ‘got to have it’ and the fact that we just played how we did, now this becomes an ‘absolutely got to have it,’ ” Wilson said of the contest against Dallas. “Got to have it. Got to get on the board. It’s a home game. Protect our home field. … There’s no time, you know? We’ve got to have it this week.”

Dallas watched the Green Bay Packers kick field goals as time expired in both regulation and overtime while playing to a 40-40 home tie Sunday night.

“The effort was great, and the positive was that everyone fought,” Cowboys defensive tackle Solomon Thomas, a former Jet, said. “It wasn’t the result we wanted, it wasn’t exactly how we wanted to play, it wasn’t our standard, but we fought to the end. A tie is frustrating. It feels like a loss, but it’s not a loss.”

The Cowboys are feeling urgency as three of their next four games are on the road.

Quarterback Dak Prescott leads the NFL with 1,119 passing yards while throwing six touchdowns against three interceptions.

Receiver George Pickens has 21 catches for 300 yards and four touchdowns and was a top target for Prescott with CeeDee Lamb (ankle) sidelined. The offseason trade acquisition had eight catches for 134 yards and two touchdowns against the Packers.

“He made big impact plays,” Dallas coach Brian Schottenheimer said of Pickens. “You see the confidence that Dak has in him.”

Running back Javonte Williams also has been solid. The free-agent addition ranks sixth in the NFL with 312 yards and has found the end zone four times.

Seven Cowboys missed practice Wednesday, including safety Malik Hooker (toe) and tackle Tyler Guyton (concussion) along with guards Tyler Smith (knee) and Tyler Booker (ankle). Receiver/returner KaVontae Turpin (foot) and running back Miles Sanders (knee/ankle) also missed the session. Lamb might return to practice later in the week.

For the Jets, Allen (knee) has been ruled out with what Glenn described as a “pretty serious” injury. The others to miss Wednesday’s practice were cornerback Michael Carter II (concussion), linebacker Jermaine Johnson II (ankle) and running back Kene Nwangwu (hamstring).

Dallas won the last meeting 30-10 at home in 2023 after the Jets won the previous three matchups.

–Field Level Media

Sep 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens (3) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers in the second quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Wild finish results in OT tie for Packers, Cowboys

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Brandon Aubrey of Dallas and Brandon McManus of Green Bay traded field goals in overtime as the Cowboys and Packers played to a 40-40 tie in a wild Sunday night affair at Arlington, Texas.

The contest marked the return to Dallas of Micah Parsons, exactly one month after the All-Pro edge rusher was traded to the Packers. Parsons, who was involved in contentious contract negotiations with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, had three tackles and one sack.

Dak Prescott was 31-of-40 passing for 319 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for a score for Dallas (1-2-1). George Pickens caught eight passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns, Javonte Williams rushed for 85 yards and a touchdown and Jake Ferguson had a scoring catch for the Cowboys.

Jordan Love completed 31 of 43 passes for 337 yards and three touchdowns for the Packers (2-1-1). Romeo Doubs caught a career-high three scoring receptions and Josh Jacobs had 157 scrimmage yards (86 rushing, 71 receiving) and ran for two touchdowns.

Aubrey kicked a 22-yard field goal with 4:40 left in overtime.

The Packers had a chance to go for the win but some clock mismanagement led to an incompletion with one second left. McManus then connected from 34 yards out as time expired.

Love drilled a 15-yard touchdown pass to Doubs with 1:45 remaining in regulation to give the Packers a 34-30 edge.

Prescott connected with Pickens on a 28-yard scoring play to put Dallas back ahead with 43 seconds left.

Love then moved the Packers 39 yards to set up McManus’ 53-yard-tying field goal to force overtime.

Green Bay held a 20-16 advantage after Jacobs scored on a 1-yard run with 7:08 left in the third quarter.

Parsons was on the sidelines and reportedly was examined for a concussion during the next Dallas possession. He banged heads earlier in the quarter with teammate Nate Hobbs as both players were in pursuit on a Dallas running play. Hobbs later was removed from the game with 9:20 remaining to be examined for a concussion.

The Cowboys answered with Parsons out on Prescott’s 8-yard touchdown pass to Ferguson with 34 seconds left in the period to put Dallas ahead 23-20.

Jacobs scored on an 18-yard scamper to give the Packers a 27-23 lead with 11:39 left in regulation.

The Cowboys responded with Williams’ 1-yard run for a three-point lead with 4:50 remaining.

Green Bay scored on the game’s initial possession with Love finishing it off with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Doubs.

The Love-Doubs duo teamed up on a 1-yard score with 10:37 remaining in the first half.

However, Juanyeh Thomas blocked the point-after by McManus and Markquese Bell ran approximately 85 yards to record a defensive two-point conversion for the Cowboys.

Later in the quarter, Prescott scored from the 2 to bring the Cowboys within 13-9 with 41 seconds left.

Then Dallas’ James Houston posted a strip-sack of Love and recovered the fumble at the Packers’ 15. On the next play, Prescott hit Pickens for the score to put Dallas ahead 16-13 at halftime.

–Field Level Media

Jul 22, 2025; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Hunter Luepke (40) during training camp at the River Ridge Fields. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Cowboys FB Hunter Luepke agrees to 2-year contract extension

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Dallas Cowboys fullback Hunter Luepke has agreed to terms on a two-year extension worth up to $7.5 million, the team announced on Wednesday.

Luepke, going into the final year of his three-year rookie contract, was set to earn $1.03 million against the salary cap this season, which starts Thursday night for the Cowboys at the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.

He becomes the third-highest-paid fullback in the league on a per-year basis, the NFL Network reported, with more than $5 million fully guaranteed.

Luepke, 25, played in 16 games last season (four starts), rushed 12 times for 38 yards and caught 12 passes for 111 yards. He played on 37 percent of special teams snaps and 30 percent of offensive snaps.

For his career, Luepke has 18 carries for 57 yards and one touchdown, and 15 receptions for 129 yards in 33 games (four starts) over the past two seasons.

Dallas signed Luepke as an undrafted free agent in May 2023 out of North Dakota State.

The Cowboys working a new contract with Luepke came three days after All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland agreed to terms on a four-year, $92 million contract extension.

These two extensions were both announced within a week of Dallas trading two-time All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark and first-round draft picks in 2026 and 2027.

–Field Level Media

Green Bay Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons speaks during an introductory press conference on Friday, August 29, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers made a trade with the Dallas Cowboys on Aug. 28 to acquire Parsons in exchange for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first round picks. Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Agent: Micah Parsons wanted to stay in Dallas

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Micah Parsons’ blockbuster trade last week from the Dallas Cowboys was never the star pass rusher’s intent, his agent David Mulugheta said Tuesday on ESPN’s “First Take.”

Parsons, now a member of the Green Bay Packers, made it a priority to stay in Dallas, the agent said, and wasn’t going to sit out the season after a sit-in at Cowboys training camp over dissatisfaction with his current contract.

“I think the most important thing is Micah wanted to be a Cowboy,” Mulugheta said. “He grew up cheering for the Cowboys, wore the blue and white at Penn State, wore it in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys. He wanted to be a Cowboy, and we did everything we could for him to remain a Cowboy.”

Mulugheta said that despite the impasse in negotiations, Parsons, 26, would have played in the Cowboys’ season opener on Thursday against the host Philadelphia Eagles. The agent said Parsons’ camp never told the Cowboys otherwise.

“I mean, Micah loves the game too much,” Mulugheta said. “He was going to play no matter what.”

Green Bay quickly extended Parsons after trading three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark and first-round draft picks in 2026 and 2027 to Dallas last Thursday. Parsons’ new deal is a four-year, $188 million extension that includes $136 million guaranteed, according to multiple reports, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history with a $47 million annual average.

The Cowboys and Parsons never officially got to that point, with team owner and general manager Jerry Jones believing he had a handshake agreement with the player following a direct conversation with him on March 18.

Parsons said that the team had to then deal with his agent, Mulugheta, and that’s where versions of the story went different directions. Jones said he offered the most guaranteed money for a non-quarterback in league history, reportedly more than $150 million.

Parsons said the Cowboys refused to talk with his agent as months went by, so there was no deal. Mulugheta said he tried several times before and after Parsons’ March meeting with Jones to ask about a new contract.

“To expect somebody like Micah Parsons to be one of the best defenders in the NFL and also a great lawyer when it comes to contracts, I think it’s a bit unfair,” Mulugheta said. “His job is to go out there and chase quarterbacks, and our job is to go out there and chase commas for him. I’m not sure exactly why it went this way, but we were always prepared and open to negotiating a contract with the Jones family.”

The agent said his client never believed he was actually negotiating a contract, and whether or not it was a miscommunication, Parsons just listened and “nodded his head out of respect.”

“Obviously there’s a power dynamic that’s a little different there,” Mulugheta said. “One guy’s the owner of the team and the GM, and the other one is Micah Parsons, a young 25-year-old football player.”

The agent said the Cowboys talked to Parsons about a five-year extension, not four, which he estimated could have cost the player $60 million to $70 million in future earnings.

On the health front, Parsons is dealing with a back injury, though he practiced with the Packers on what appeared to be a limited basis on Monday.

Before the deal, the Cowboys had placed Parsons on a five-day plan of a corticosteroid to help back inflammation and had him on a physical therapy program. Parsons may need an epidural injection to play Sunday against the Detroit Lions, according to reports from ESPN, NFL Network and The Athletic.

“What I will tell you, is that Micah is going to do everything he possibly can to get on the football field, the same way he did when he was in a Cowboys jersey,” Mulugheta said.

A Pro Bowl selection in each of his four seasons, and three-time first-team All Pro, Parsons has racked up 52.5 sacks through the first 63 games of his career. He was the 12th overall pick by the Cowboys in the 2021 draft and the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year that season.

–Field Level Media