Micah Parsons ‘not bitter’ after Dallas Cowboys trade defensive end to Green Bay Packers for Kenny Clark and two picks
The Cowboys have also explained why they made the trade
Micah Parsons has said he “never asked for anything more than fairness” after ending his protracted contract dispute with the Dallas Cowboys by being traded to the Green Bay Packers.
The blockbuster deal will send three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark to the Cowboys alongside 2026 and 2027 first-round picks.
“I never wanted this chapter to end, but not everything was in my control,” Parsons wrote on X. “My heart has always been here and still is.
“Through it all, I never made any demands. I never asked for anything more than fairness. I only asked that the person I trust to negotiate my contract be part of the process.”
— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) August 28, 2025
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Micah Parsons trade: Contract, stats
Parsons has agreed a four-year, $188 million contract with the Packers including $136m guaranteed, according to Associated Press.
The 26-year-old will reportedly earn $62m in the first new year and $120m fully guaranteed at signing, setting records for a defensive player.
Those terms would make the two-time All-Pro edge rusher the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
“This is a sad day, but not a bitter one,” Parsons added after being traded for Clark. “I’ll never forget the joy of draft night, the adrenaline of running out of the tunnel or the brotherhood I shared with my team-mates, coaches and the staff who prepared me for every single game. Those memories are mine forever.”
Cowboys trade Parsons for Kenny Clark and picks
Agent David Mulugheta, who negotiated the deal, said Parsons had become “so much more than a football player”.
“Draft night feels like yesterday,” said Mulugheta. “I’ll never forget watching Micah’s dream come full circle – getting picked by the team we both grew up rooting for.
“Back in that pre-draft process, I probably spent more time with him than any rookie I’ve ever had. COVID sidelined his last year at Penn State, but instead of it being wasted time, he turned it into preparation. And he’s been fulfilling prophecies ever since.
I spoke with Micah Parsons this evening. He says “genuinely gonna miss ya’ll”
— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) August 28, 2025
He says he and his team went back to the Cowboys about an extension with “empathy” when the trade interest was leaked this week.
The Cowboys response according to Parsons was “play on the 5th year…
“I’ve seen him step into fatherhood with the same fire he brings on the field. I’ve seen him shoulder criticism, setbacks, and, most recently, a storm of doubt, disrespect, and noise.
“Through it all, he never wavered. He never made it about himself. He just stood firm in his beliefs and trusted the process.
“And today? That same kid from Jefferson Street in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, is now the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history. Dream it. Work it. Earn it.
“The last few months tested everything but they also revealed everything: his resilience, his maturity, and his refusal to sacrifice his values.
“Because greatness isn’t measured by what you achieve when it’s easy, but by what you refuse to compromise when it’s hard. The stage is set. The work continues. The best is still ahead.”
Micah Parsons: Message after Green Bay Packers move
Parsons addressed the “Cowboys Nations” as part of his message. “Growing up in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, I was one of the few kids in my neighborhood who cheered for the Dallas Cowboys,” he reflected.
“Nearly everyone around supported the Eagles, but I always believed in the star. To wear the blue and white at Penn State and then carry those same colors into the NFL as a Cowboy was more than a dream. t was destiny.
“From the moment I arrived in Dallas, you embraced me and my family as your own. You made a kid from the east coast feel right at home in Texas.
🤝 game time! https://t.co/vSVgK9pN3a
— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) August 28, 2025
“Every time I pulled up to work, every time I stepped onto that field, I felt the weight and pride of representing you. You didn’t just give me a jersey, you gave me a place to belong.
“North Texas will continue to be my home in the offseason. I’ll still be here, giving back to the community that gave me so much. And no matter where the next chapter takes me, the bond we’ve built will never break.
“Thank you for every cheer, every moment, and every ounce of love you showed me. Wearing the star has been the honor of my life.”
Why did the Cowboys trade Parsons?
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said the trade was “a move to get us successful in the playoffs”.
“This was a move to be better on defense, stopping the run. This was a move, if we get behind, to not be run on. It was a deliberate move – a well thought0out move to make this happen.
“The other thing that I would say is that we have a chance to get a minimum of three – and it could very easily be as many as five – really top players.
“And you’ve got to look at three to five to one, over who’s going to help you win the most. It was strictly that, because it’s not only the draft picks that you have as currency, but it is the available cap room.
“And we can take that available cap room we were going to use for Micah, and we can pay three to five players with that.”