Dallas Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons remains with the team, but he did not seem terribly engaged during Friday’s 31-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Parsons was photographed lounging on a trainer’s table on the Dallas sideline during Friday’s game. He did not seem to be paying much attention to what was going on on the field, or even to his teammates.
Micah Parsons is laying down on one of the tables behind the #Cowboys bench pic.twitter.com/4JJ8Ls7n5x
— Tommy Yarrish (@tommy_yarrish) August 23, 2025
While the image went viral, WFAA anchor Mike Leslie sought to clarify that Parsons only spent a short portion of the game on the table. Parsons responded by thanking Leslie for countering the negative narrative.
“I’d never disrespect the guys out there fighting for their lives,” Parsons wrote on X.
I actually appreciate this 🙏🏾. The way media shapes perception and narratives is wild—and if he hadn’t said anything, everyone would’ve just run with it. I’d never disrespect the guys out there fighting for their lives. https://t.co/pMjSZi8DqY
— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) August 23, 2025
In a certain sense, however, the narrative around Parsons has already taken hold. He has demanded a trade from Dallas as contract talks between the two sides remain at a standstill. The situation escalated even further this week amid claims of a huge dispute between Parsons’ agent and Jerry Jones.
The Cowboys maintain their belief that Parsons will be with the team for Week 1, but at this point, that has to be questioned. He certainly does not look like he is ready to simply end the contract dispute and jump back into the lineup for the Sept. 4 opener.
Parsons is set to make just over $24 million this season under the fifth-year team option of his rookie contract. He has 52.5 sacks through his first 63 games, including 12 in 13 games in 2024.
