Micah Parsons, the dynamic young linebacker, was supposed to be the focus as the electric Dallas Cowboys prepared for their season opener. All of that changed last week when he was dealt to the Green Bay Packers. The 25-year-old athlete certainly didn’t foresee losing this season entirely. In the blink of an eye, he was back on the field for the Cowboys in Philadelphia taking the wind out of the undefeated Eagles. One round of collective bargaining took an unanticipated turn.
Parsons’ agent, David Mulugheta, shared with us that Parsons’ interest of staying with the Cowboys was high, his willingness to talk an extension early very evident. The franchise countered with a jaw-dropping offer of more than $150 million. This figure would be the largest guaranteed deal for a non-quarterback in NFL history, according to reports. At a key meeting on March 18, team owner Jerry Jones was sure he had sealed the deal with Parsons. This deal should have vaulted Parsons to the top of the NFL’s defensive pay scale, giving the game-changing linebacker an eye-popping $40.5 million AAV.
Even with all of the Cowboys’ optimism, Mulugheta said that negotiations reached an impasse because Jones was too confident in his handshake deal with Parsons. “If you’re a 25-year-old football player and your boss, who happens to be the most powerful person in the NFL, starts talking about contracts, it’s hard for you to end that conversation,” Mulugheta remarked. He further stressed that while Parsons was courteous and deferential in negotiations, he never officially accepted any terms outlined by Jones.
When negotiations stalled, the Cowboys traded Mulugheta’s client to the Rams and ceased doing business with him. In all, this pick contributed directly to Parsons being traded to Green Bay. The Packers immediately rewarded him with a four-year, $188 million extension. This deal featured the jaw-dropping $120 million guaranteed from day one. This major financial investment further emphasizes Parsons’ worth as one of the league’s most elite defenders.
Mulugheta said he was frustrated by the notion that Parsons should have to figure out some complicated contract negotiations on the fly, like an accomplished lawyer would. “To expect somebody like Micah Parsons to be one of the best defenders in the NFL and a great lawyer when it comes to contracts, I think it’s a bit unfair,” Mulugheta stated. He wants Parsons’ attention to be on football, not contract negotiations.
“The agent’s comments crystallize the pressures and pitfalls young athletes must navigate in these precarious, high-stakes negotiations. His job is to go out there and chase quarterbacks, and our job is to go out there and chase commas for him,” Mulugheta added. He doubled down on this claim that there were no bad feelings with Parsons nor the Cowboys, that it was all just business.
Despite this upheaval, Mulugheta assured fans that Parsons remains committed to excelling on the football field. “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,” he noted.
Now that Parsons is in Green Bay, it’s greener — and purpler — pastures for both teams as they each navigate new dynamics in anticipation of their 2023 seasons. Yet the Cowboys, who lost rookie stud linebacker T.J. On the flipside, Green Bay adds an impressive weapon as they continue their quest for another championship.
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