DALLAS Cowboys owner Jerry Jones issued a blunt response over Micah Parsons’ contract drama.
Star pass rusher Parsons is yet to agree a new deal with the team.
Micah Parsons has become one of the best defensive players in the league since the Cowboys drafted him in 2021[/caption]
Jerry Jones has been playing contract hardball with the 26-year-old, who is gunning for a record-breaking contract[/caption]
A fan in attendance at the Cowboys’ training camp on Saturday could be heard chanting “Pay Micah!”
But Jones provided very little update when asked about the negotiations.
“Just no comment,” the Cowboys owner said.
In fact, the 82-year-old businessman seemed to taunt both Parsons and the fans by belittling the chants.
He said: “I heard it light, but not compared to how I heard them say, ‘Pay [CeeDee] Lamb.’
“That was a faint little sound compared to the way they were hollering last year, ‘Pay Lamb.’
“Whoever’s not in, you can count on a few hollering that. But it was a big loud chant last year on Lamb.”
Jones faced similar fan protests last year as the contract of star wide receiver Lamb hung in the balance.
He went on to address the contract situation directly, or rather, directly refuse to address it.
The Cowboys owner said, “Really I don’t have anything to comment there at all.
“We want to pay Micah, too. He’s got to want to be paid, too.
“The chanting doesn’t change anything.”
The provocative comments are just the most recent in a series of back and forth jabs between the owner/gm and his star player.
The four-time Pro Bowler is seeking a $200 million contract to extend his stay in Texas, with his current deal running out next summer.
A five-year contract of that size would make him the best-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
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But Jones stoked flames when he said that he didn’t know Parsons’ agent, Dallas native David Mulugheta, and said he was ‘not a factor’ in negotiations.
Mulugheta is a superstar agent with over 40 clients in the NFL, with Parsons coming to his defence.
He said: “David is the best and I will not be doing any deal without [him] involved!”
“There will be no backdoors in this contract negotiation.”
Jones stirred the pot further last week when he took a factually incorrect shot at Parsons’ availability from last season.
He said: “Just because we sign him doesn’t mean we’re gonna have him. He was hurt six games last year.”
The fact Jones is confident enough to make such comments despite the fact that Parsons only missed four games last season is a testament to his full throttle approach this saga.
The Cowboys will hope the spat will not be hanging over them for their season opener against Super Bowl champs the Philadelphia Eagles.
