Micah Parsons contract negotiation: Jerry Jones doubles down that handshake agreement matters

by: Dan Morrison 42 minutes ago dan_morrison96

Jan 16, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones meets with outside linebacker Micah Parsons (11) prior to the NFC Wild Card playoff football game against the San Francisco 49ers at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The contract negotiations between the Dallas Cowboys and star pass rusher Micah Parsons have severely broken down in recent weeks. That has culminated with Parsons asking for a trade away from Dallas, the only team he has ever played professionally for.

Much of the recent issues between Parsons and the Cowboys appear to stem from the process behind these contract negotiations. Parsons and Cowboys leadership have apparently met in the past to discuss a contract, and that was when Parsons said his agent,  David Mulugheta , would contact the team. Mulugheta would then be told by the Cowboys the deal was “pretty much already done.” Since then, there’s been very little progress made.

For Dallas Cowboys owner and president Jerry Jones , it was a frustrating process. As he explained with a story about how he purchased the Cowboys, Jones feels that handshake agreements matter in this kind of negotiation.

“I bought the Cowboys with a handshake,” Jerry Jones said. “It took about 30 seconds. I gave the number, shook hands, the details we worked out later. As a matter of fact, one of the details involved a lot of money, and we had to flip a coin over that, but the fundamental I’m buying and you’re gonna sell it to me for that range, that’s done. Those are done with eye contact and handshakes.”

In 1989, Jerry Jones would purchase the Cowboys for $140 million from H.R. Bright. The Pittsburgh Steelers recently signed TJ Watt , who plays the same position as Micah Parsons, to a three-year, $123 million deal. Parsons is likely looking for similar money to what Watt got from Pittsburgh.

“Just so you understand that the way I communicate with people that I negotiate with. So, let’s leave it at that. There is no question that,” Jones said. “In the case of a player contract, you have to have it in writing. All parties do. We have a contract in writing. Yet, we’re still talking about renegotiating it. So, so much for that.”

Ultimately, Jerry Jones insisted that there is no individual sticking point these negotiations. There are different issues, but none that he thinks are extraordinary.

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