Dallas Cowboys fans were blindsided when team owner and general manager Jerry Jones traded star pass rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers following failed contract negotiations between Jones and Parsons centered around a potential extension.
Interestingly, Jones insisted on getting a deal done with Parsons personally, rather than through his agent, David Mulugheta. Now, with the trade in the rear view mirror, Mulugheta is speaking on his side of how things went down.
“Honestly, I don’t take it personal. I think (Jerry Jones’) job has always been to do what’s best for the Cowboys, right? This never turned personal for myself, or for Micah. This is another negotiation,” he said in a guest appearance on ESPN’s First Take.
“We didn’t understand why they wouldn’t talk to his agent since I would say probably 99% of the contracts that are done across the NFL are done with player representation. This day and age contracts have gotten to a point where they’re so convoluted, there’s a lot that goes into them, from guaranteed structure to APY, the signing bonuses, the cash flow. So to expect somebody like Micah Parsons to be one of the best defenders in the NFL, and also a great lawyer when it comes to contracts, I think is a bit unfair.
“His job is to go out there and chase quarterbacks and our job is to go out there and chase commas for him. So I’m not sure exactly why it went this way, but we were always prepared and open to negotiate a contract with the Jones family.”
Fans reacted to the news on social media.
“It happened this way because Micah met Jerry and then called Stephen regarding his contract like a moron,” one fan wrote on Twitter.
“Jerry attempted to leverage his relationship with Micah into a deal that benefited the Cowboys long-term by leaving the agent out of initial discussions. Jerry has done contracts longer than Micah has been alive. Micah wasn’t worth the money in terms of commitment,” one fan added.
“Nice spin…He was just ticked off Micah did it without him and he wanted the be the “big man” to get the contract done. So he wanted to get a bigger deal. Good for him and good for the Boys. Good riddance! Onward!” another fan added.
It’ll be interesting to see whether the Packers or the Cowboys end up winning the trade.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.