Green Bay Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons speaks during an introductory press conference at Lambeau Field Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Micah Parsons' salary after taxes still tops Dallas Cowboys' best offer

Originally posted on Dallas Cowboys on SI
By Josh Sanchez | Last updated Aug 30, 2025 1:02 PM ET

After a highly publicized contract dispute, the Dallas Cowboys decided to turn the page on the Micah Parsons era and shipped him off to the Green Bay Packers in a blockbuster trade that had the NFL world in a frenzy.

In exchange for Parsons, the Cowboys received two first-round NFL draft picks and three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark.

Parsons, meanwhile, got the record-setting payday he had been seeking and is now the highest-paid non-quarterback in league history after inking his extension.

Parsons and the Packers reached an agreement on a four-year, $180 million deal, with $120 million fully guaranteed at signing. The $47 million per year raised a lot of eyebrows, but Parsons won't be seeing that much.

Because of the 7.65 percent state income tax in Wisconsin, which he wouldn't have had to deal with in Texas, Parsons' average annual net salary will be $43.4 million per year.

That is still more than the $40.5 million annual average the Cowboys reportedly offered, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

So, for a mere $3 million, Jerry Jones lost out on the generational talent. That's going to make the move sting even more for Cowboys Nation.

In the end, the trade was best for both sides. The contract saga caused a major distraction for the Cowboys just a few days before the season opener, and the relationship appeared to be fractured beyond repair. Now, everyone can go their separate ways and get a much-needed fresh start.