Jerry Jones just gave Micah Parsons extra motivation as Packers prepare for intense matchup with the Cowboys in Week 4

Sometimes, relationships just get broken. But that may serve well for some people eventually. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Micah Parsons seem to be in that place after their contract negotiations failed, and the Cowboys traded Parsons away to the Green Bay Packers back in August.

Next Sunday, Parsons will return to AT&T Stadium for the first time not being a Cowboy, but don't expect tributes. Even though other important Cowboys players received that treatment in the past—running back Ezekiel Elliott more recently—, Jones doesn't want any of that for the edge defender.

“I don’t think that’s appropriate," Jones said on Monday. "Emmitt [Smith] was a different story. But that’s not to diminish Micah. I think Micah’s got enough welcome out there. We just need to show we’ve got antidotes for that.”

Emmitt Smith also requested to be traded and was eventually released by the Cowboys in 2003, playing his final two seasons for the Arizona Cardinals. But the running back was obviously more impactful to the franchise's history, playing 13 seasons in Dallas and winning three Super Bowl championships. He is a Pro Football Hall of Famer.

Micah Parsons played four years with the Cowboys, being a First-Team All-Pro twice and a Second-Team All-Pro once. He was a Pro Bowler four times. Parsons finished his Cowboys tenure with 52.5 sacks and 256 tackles.

Extra motivation

Micah Parsons has been extremely impactful for the Packers over the first three weeks. He leads the team with 15 pressures and pass-rush win percentage (27.0%), has 1.5 sacks, and has taken the defense to another level. So far, the unit is third in EPA/play and second in success rate.

“I’m not going to lie, there are a lot of expectations, and I’d be a fool to think there isn’t pressure in the position I’m stepping into,” Parsons said during his initial press conference. “But that’s a blessing. It means they believe in me that much, that I’m that much of a future in this organization, and they’ve shown it in every way. That alone shows me the type of person I need to be in this building every day.”

On Sunday, Parsons will have an emotional game. It's a game for him to overcome his first loss as a Packer last Sunday, and a meeting with the first phase of his career in Dallas. If Jerry Jones doesn't want to properly recognize what he did, for whatever reason, Parsons has an extra motivation to remind everyone of how impactful he can be on the field.