Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones before a game against the Minnesota Vikings. Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Jerry Jones responds to Micah Parsons' accusation of slander

Originally posted on Dallas Cowboys on SI
By Randy Gurzi | Last updated Jan 2, 2026 12:39 PM ET

Micah Parsons seemed to enjoy the Dallas Cowboys' struggles on defense this season. When defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus admitted the loss of Parsons, who was traded to the Green Bay Packers, made things difficult, Parsons responded with laughter.

He then defended himself, posting on social media that he is allowed to have his opinions, especially after Jerry Jones slandered his name through the media during contract negotiations.

As expected, Jones had a response to Parsons' accusations. Oddly enough, Jones, who usually misses no opportunity to throw shade, took the high road.

Jones said he would love to have Parsons still, but admitted the contract reached a level he wasn't comfortable going with. Jones said Parsons is outstanding, adding that he understood his comments, but said in the end they wanted to use that money to spread around to more players.

“I wish Micah the very best. … I’d love to have Micah on the team. But we just couldn’t afford him. We wanted 4-5 players more than we did him. But he’s outstanding. I understand his sensitivity and can even understand these comments.”

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on @1053thefan on Micah Parsons posting that Jones slandered his name: “I wish Micah the very best. … I’d love to have Micah on the team. But we just couldn’t afford him. We wanted 4-5 players more than we did him. But he’s outstanding. I understand his…
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) January 2, 2026

Dallas was able to extend multiple starters after moving on from Parsons, with DaRon Bland and Tyler Smith standing out as the highest-priced extensions. They also used some of the draft capital to bring in defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.

Cowboys must find a way to replace Micah Parsons in 2026

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The problem, however, is that Dallas had no one else who could take on Parsons' role. With him gone, Jadeveon Clowney and James Houston are tied for the team lead with 5.5 sacks. As a whole, Dallas has just 30 sacks on the season.

Dallas is likely going to make a change at defensive coordinator, which is the right move. That said, their defense won't get better until they adequately replace Parsons. They don't need someone who plays at the same level as Parsons, which might be impossible to find, but they must land a player who can consistently attack the quarterback.

Only then will they truly be able to move forward and feel good about their decision.

This article first appeared on Dallas Cowboys on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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