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'Nah, next question' - Micah Parsons refused to answer a question about negotiations with Cowboys, and recent news might explain why

Originally posted on A to Z Sports
By Mauricio Rodriguez | Last updated Jul 3, 2025 11:19 PM ET

Even Michael Schott from The Office learned about it when he proudly downloaded negotiation tactics from Wikipedia: Declining to speak first.

That appears to be the game the Dallas Cowboys and Micah Parsons' agent David Mulugheta are playing under a month away from training camp. For those who have missed the details, allow me to recap it as quickly as possible.

Parsons and owner Jerry Jones have discussed a number they both feel comfortable with, but the player has publicly stated several times there will be no backdoors to strike a deal. If the Cowboys want to put pen to paper, it'll have to be through his agent: Mulugheta.

The only problem? The last official word we've heard is that call hasn't happened. Which leads us to Cowboys minicamp three weeks ago, when Parsons was asked by reporters why he didn't have Mulugheta start the conversation by calling Jones and Co.?

"Nah, next question," Parsons abruptly answered.

Why didn't Parsons want to answer the question? The likeliest answer involves T.J. Watt

One thing we've been reminded of this week is the fact that the Pittsburgh Steelers and T.J. Watt are also working on a contract extension and if it's signed, it will only raise the price tag on Parsons' deal.

In fact, Parsons told All City DLLS last month that the number he had discussed with Jones is lower than what he's learned to be Watt's asking price.

"According to Parsons, the deal that Watt is seeking is more than what he and Jones talked about," Hill wrote in an article. "And he said he's seen the number. Therefore, his deal is going to go up, which means the Cowboys are going to be paying more.”

In other words, though Parsons has been open about making a deal, he knows the leverage is on his side. It's the Cowboys who benefit from striking an agreement before the 2025 NFL season. It's them who should be making the phone call.

And if we've gotten to this point and the Jones-led front office has yet to even call Mulugheta yet going out of their way to talk directly to Parsons. . . why should the player's camp show the courtesy of calling first?

These are million-dollar deals. Negotiation tactics matter more than in Michael Scott's world. I can't blame Mulugheta for declining to speak first. If that Watt deal comes through before Parsons', it's a win.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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