The Dallas Cowboys have taken a hard stance in their contract negotiations with Micah Parsons, and the latest comments from Stephen Jones seem like further confirmation of that.
Jerry Jones addressed Cowboys fans at the start of the team’s training camp practice on Saturday in Oxnard, Calif. As the 82-year-old began his speech, he was greeted with a number of “pay Micah!” chants from those in attendance.
On Sunday, Stephen Jones was asked about Cowboys fans getting restless over the team’s ongoing contract stalemate with Parsons. The executive vice president suggested Parsons is the one being unreasonable.
“It doesn’t change anything. We want to pay Micah too. He’s gotta want to be paid,” Jones told reporters.
Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones on the fans yelling to pay Micah Parsons: “It doesn’t change anything. We want to pay Micah too. He’s gotta want to be paid.” pic.twitter.com/spJn9leRQV
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 27, 2025
Parsons’ contract demands are probably fairly straightforward. T.J. Watt recently signed an extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers that will pay him $41 million per year, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. Watt’s deal tops the extension Myles Garrett signed with the Cleveland Browns earlier this offseason that averages $40 million per year.
Parsons has been one of the best pass rushers in the NFL since Dallas drafted him in 2021. The 25-year-old has 52.5 sacks through his first 63 NFL games, including 12 in 13 games in 2024. He is almost certainly looking for a contract that will pay him slightly more than Watt’s deal, which is a reasonable expectation.
The holdup likely has to do with guaranteed money, and that is common with a high-profile contract negotiation.
There has clearly been some tension between Parsons and the Jones family. Jerry brought some of that on himself with the bizarre swipe he recently took at Parsons, and Stephen’s comments on Sunday probably will not help the situation much.
