As he reacted to the Dallas Cowboys’ decision to trade Micah Parsons, Dez Bryant also made a major prediction. He said Arch Manning will be a Cowboy following the blockbuster move.
Rumors swirled about a potential Parsons trade throughout the week, and the Packers emerged as a potential suitor. That came to fruition Thursday afternoon when the two teams agreed to a deal. The Cowboys are sending two first-round picks to Dallas, along with defensive tackle Kenny Clark, in exchange for Parsons.
Bryant made his thoughts clear on the situation shortly after the news broke. Then, he predicted Manning – who’s preparing for his first year as Texas’ full-time starter – will be a Cowboy at some point.
Arch Manning will have a star on his helmet.
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) August 28, 2025
Nobody can tell me different.
“Arch Manning will have a star on his helmet,” Bryant wrote on X Thursday evening after the news broke. “Nobody can tell me different.”
Manning’s NFL future is sure to be one of the biggest stories of the college football season. A redshirt sophomore, he is eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft, though there are questions about whether he will actually declare. His grandfather, Archie Manning, appeared to indicate the former top recruit would stay at Texas. But Arch Manning said he’s not worrying about the future at this point.
“I don’t know where he got that from,” Manning said. “He texted me and apologized about that. I’m really just taking it day by day right now.”
After Thursday’s trade, though, Bryant said he thinks the Cowboys could be “tanking.” If Manning was to declare, he gets the sense they could be in position to select him.
Through the trade, Parsons got the deal he was seeking. He is set to sign a four-year deal worth $188 million, including $136 million guaranteed, according to multiple reports. He will also get $120 million at signing.
After the reports surfaced, Micah Parsons then released a statement on social media. He reflected on his time in Dallas, which ends after a decorated start to his career. He also spoke about the negotiations with the Cowboys and why things ended up taking such a turn.
“I never wanted this chapter to end, but not everything was in my control,” Parsons wrote in a letter addressed to Cowboys Nation. My heart has always been here, and it 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.
“This is a sad day, but not a bitter one. I’ll never forget the joy of draft night, the adrenaline of running out of the tunnel, or the brotherhood I shared with my teammates, coaches and the staff who prepared me for every single game. Those memories are mine forever.”
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