Jerry Jones Ripped by NFL Fans for Micah Parsons Trade, Say Cowboys Were Fleeced

Rather than paying Micah Parsons and ending his hold-in, Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys decided to send the star pass rusher packing.

They traded him to the Green Bay Packers on Thursday, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. In return, the Cowboys received a pair of first-rounders and defensive tackle Kenny Clark, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Jones' leadership has often been questioned by Cowboys fans, and Thursday's trade didn't do him any favors.

Jones and Parsons' team had gone back and forth over the star pass rusher's contract for most of the offseason, and Parsons ultimately decided he wanted out, requesting a trade on Aug. 1.

That trade request likely would have been rescinded had the Cowboys paid Parsons, but they instead decided to move on from the four-time Pro Bowler. He signed a four-year, $188 million deal with Green Bay, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history at $47 million per year.

In his four years in Dallas, Parsons racked up 52.5 sacks and was always in the mix for Defensive Player of the Year. He recorded at least 12 sacks in his first four seasons, the only player besides Reggie White to do so.

What's more, Parsons is just 26 years old and is likely entering the best years of his career. To trade one of the best players in the league at the start of their prime seems inconceivable, though Dallas sports fans have experienced that feeling before, considering the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers just seven months ago.

Dallas freed up $19 million of 2025 cap space by trading Parsons and ultimately avoided having to pay him what would have been a massive extension, but the financial details likely won't appease Cowboys fans.