The Micah Parsons saga in Dallas is over.
As initially reported by ESPN, the standout All-Pro pass rusher is being traded to the Green Bay Packers, who have also committed to signing him to a four-year contract worth $188 million.
In exchange, the Cowboys will reportedly receive defensive tackle Kenny Clark along with two first-round picks. The Daily Mail has contacted both teams for official confirmation.
Reports indicate that Parsons will earn $62 million in the first year of his contract, with $120 million guaranteed at signing and a total of $136 million guaranteed overall, setting records for non-quarterback players.
Parsons, citing back issues, has not been participating in training camp and was said to have traveled for a second opinion on his injury, as he was spotted leaving Dallas-Fort Worth Airport on Wednesday.
The Penn State alumnus and highly-touted linebacker will now strengthen a Packers defense that was already ranked sixth in points allowed and fifth in yardage allowed last season.
Micah Parsons is being traded from the Dallas Cowboys to the Green Bay Packers
Parsons has established himself as one of the finest pass-rushers in the NFL
In response to the news on platform X, Parsons shared a montage of his time in Dallas, ending the video with clips of the legendary Packers pass-rusher Reggie White.
He then said in a statement that it was ‘more than a dream’ and ‘destiny’ to play for the Cowboys.
However, he said that ‘not everything was in my control’ as his time in Dallas came to an end after four seasons.
‘From the moment I arrived in Dallas, you embraced me and my family as your own,’ he wrote. ‘You made a kid from the east coast feel right at home in Texas. Every time I pulled up to work, every time I stepped on the field, I felt the weight and pride of representing you. You didn’t just give me a jersey, you gave me a place to belong.
‘I never wanted this chapter to end, but not everything was in my control. My heart has always been here, and it still is. Through it all, I never made any demands. I never asked for anything more than fairness. I only asked that the person I trust to negotiate my contract be part of the process.’
Parsons previously said that the Cowboys were not involving his agent, David Mulugheta, in contract negotiations – something owner and general manager Jerry Jones didn’t deny.
‘My experience has been the agent is not the one that solves the problems you have when you’re executing what you said you would do in the contract,’ Jones previously told reporters. ‘So I like to deal directly with the player when it’s of this nature.’
For his part, Jones also accused Mulugheta of deliberately sabotaging the negotiations.
Jones said last week: ‘We had our agreements on term, amount, guarantees and everything. We were gonna send it over to the agent.
‘The agent said, ‘Don’t bother because we’ve got all that to negotiate.’ Well, I’d already negotiated that. I’d already moved off my mark on several areas.
‘The issue, very frankly, is we’ve had the negotiation in my mind. The agent is trying to get his nose in it and trying to come in there and improve off what we’ve already said.’
In his previous statement in which he announced his desire to be traded, Parsons acknowledged that he and Jones had discussed his contract, but said he didn’t believe it was a ‘formal negotiation.’
Cowboys fans have been up in arms of Jerry Jones’ handling of the contract negotiations
Jones has accused Parsons’ agent, David Mulugheta, of sabotaging negotiations
Parsons laid on a medical table during his team’s final preseason test of the summer
While the Parsons trade left many fans stunned, it’s not the first time the franchise has traded a player in their prime.
In 1989, star running back Herschel Walker was sent to the Vikings in a massive deal that ultimately saw them acquire eight draft picks from Minnesota, which helped establish the team as a championship contender in the 90’s.
In fact, one of those picks turned out to be Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith.
On Thursday, Parsons added that it was a ‘sad day, but not a bitter one.’
‘I’ll never forget the joy of draft night, the adrenaline of running out of the tunnel, or the brotherhood I shared with my teammates, coaches and the staff who prepared me for every single game. Those memories are mine forever.’
Parsons added that he’ll continue living in Texas in the offseason and ‘giving back to the community.’
”Thank you Cowboys Nation, for every cheer, every moment and every ounce of love you showed me,’ he concluded. ‘Wearing the star has been the honor of my life.’
Before his new deal kicks in, Parsons is currently set to make $21million in 2025 via his fifth-year option with the Cowboys.
Only four players have topped his mark of 52.5 sacks since he entered the league in 2021.
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