Cowboys' Brian Schottenheimer discusses relationship with Micah Parsons amid contract talks

Dallas Cowboys star pass-rusher Micah Parsons clearly wants a contract extension while in the final year of his rookie deal, but he nevertheless reported on time to attend Dallas' mandatory minicamp last week. 

First-year Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer touched upon his relationship with Parsons during a recent chat with NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. 

"This relationship I’ve developed with Micah is very evident in the fact that anything I’ve asked him to do, he’s done," Schottenheimer said. "He’s been great."

Schottenheimer previously served as a consultant with the Cowboys during the 2022 campaign before he spent the following two seasons as Dallas' offensive coordinator. While he and Parsons weren't strangers before Schottenheimer was promoted, Breer noted how the coach attended a charity event hosted by the sack specialist earlier this offseason. 

"To me, it was all about connections," Schottenheimer said about putting in work to get to know Parsons and other Dallas players better ahead of the start of springtime workouts. "Being someone that was a coach that had been in the building, not just as a coordinator but as a consultant, I wanted to get back to the feeling where everyone wanted to get to know each other on a deeper level. Everyone was going in the same direction, and the best way to go in the same direction is to know everybody’s why and know everybody’s heartbeat for why they do what they do, why they make the sacrifice that they do." 

None of this means that Parsons plans to give Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones any type of hometown discount. In fact, Parsons told Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS Sports ahead of this past weekend that his extension is going to cost Dallas "more" after Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns signed a four-year, $160M extension that included $123.5M guaranteed earlier this offseason. 

Parsons may once again up his asking price if T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers receives a lucrative extension before training camp practices get underway. 

That said, Breer mentioned that Schottenheimer and Parsons trusting each other "gives the Cowboys the best shot to get the deal done" before the 26-year-old is due to report for training camp. One would think Parsons wouldn't be a full practice participant until he inks a deal, but it seems that Schottenheimer is confident the two sides can come to an agreement before August arrives.