Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Jerry Jones snaps 31-year streak by trading Micah Parsons

By Steve DelVecchio | Last updated Aug 28, 2025 5:52 PM ET

The Dallas Cowboys stunned the NFL on Thursday when they traded Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers, and the blockbuster deal was unlike one Jerry Jones has made in more than three decades.

The Cowboys have traded Parsons to Green Bay in exchange for two first-round draft picks and three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark. Parsons has also agreed to a four-year, $188M extension with the Packers, which makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

ESPN Sources: Cowboys are trading three-time All-Pro LB Micah Packers to the Green Bay Packers.

Parsons and the Packers already have reached agreement on a four-year, $188 million contract. @DavidMulugheta of @Athletesfirst had a hand in the trade and ultimately negotiating the… pic.twitter.com/Hznxabll0P
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 28, 2025

The trade represents the first time in 31 years that Jones, who has long been the Cowboys' general manager, has dealt a player away following a Pro Bowl season. The only other time Dallas made a move like that in Jones' tenure as owner was when the team traded former safety Thomas Everett in 1994.

Since Jerry Jones bought the Dallas Cowboys in 1989, he has only traded away one player immediately after a Pro Bowl season: S Thomas Everett in 1994.

Now, Micah Parsons becomes the second.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 28, 2025

Parsons had been set to make just over $24M in the final year of his rookie contract. He was seeking a long-term extension from Dallas and formally requested a trade on Aug. 1. The Cowboys initially said they were not open to dealing Parsons, but the two sides were unable to find middle ground with Jones repeatedly accusing Parsons' agent of sabotaging a handshake agreement.

The Packers have made the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, and many have felt they are a piece away from making a deep run. Parsons has been arguably the best pass-rusher in the NFL since he was drafted in 2021 and has 52.5 sacks in four NFL seasons. It goes without saying that Green Bay is ecstatic to have him.

Steve DelVecchio

Steve is a veteran writer who has covered a variety of sports and pop culture topics for more than 15 years. In addition to Yardbarker, his work has been featured on prominent digital publications including Larry Brown Sports, MSN and FOX Sports. The UConn graduate has published more than 40,000 stories and is one of the most experienced trending news writers in the country

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