Cowboys QB Prescott reacts to blockbuster Parsons trade

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott reacts to blockbuster Micah Parsons trade

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Sep 1, 2025 8:24 AM ET

The Dallas Cowboys trading EDGE Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers on Thursday shocked many throughout the NFL, but not quarterback Dak Prescott.

In a Sunday news conference, Prescott explained he sensed Parsons' relationship with the team was souring amid a tense contract dispute.

Before being traded, Parsons was set to play on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract and was seeking an extension from Dallas. He has since signed a four-year, $186M contract with Green Bay.

"I definitely didn't think he was going to get traded," Prescott said, via The Athletic's Jon Machota. "But just with the way their negotiations went down, obviously to some extent, hell, [the media was] asking me questions, it seemed like it got personal on their ends, so that's why I wasn't surprised."

Dak Prescott on the Micah Parsons trade: “I definitely didn’t think he was going to get traded. But just with the way their negotiations went down, obviously to some extent, hell, y’all were asking me questions, it seemed like it got personal on their ends, so that’s why I wasn’t… pic.twitter.com/znlkzXwbz0
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 31, 2025

Prescott and Parsons may also have had issues before the trade. The pass-rusher's in-season podcast with Bleacher Report reportedly annoyed the QB and other players.

Prescott, however, didn't indicate he and Parsons were on bad terms. The passer said he wished him "good luck" after being traded to Green Bay.

Whether the relationship between Parsons and Prescott influenced the Cowboys' decision, it will be difficult for Dallas to replace him. In four seasons with the team, he recorded 52.5 sacks, earning two first-team All-Pro nods. He also reached four Pro Bowls.

The defensive hole puts even more pressure on Prescott, who's coming off one of the more disappointing years of his career.

He went 3-5 in eight starts last season before suffering a season-ending hamstring injury in a Week 9 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. During this span, he completed 64.7% of his passes, the second-lowest mark of his career.

The Cowboys went 7-10 last season, missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 season. If the team has another underwhelming year, Prescott and others will wish the Cowboys had just signed Parsons, even if he did occasionally get on their nerves.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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