Micah Parsons trade request: Dallas Cowboys teammates show support on social media

On Friday, Dallas Cowboys EDGE Micah Parsons announced he’d like to be traded on social media. At least three of Parsons’ teammates — Trevon Diggs, DeMarvion Overshown and Juanyeh Thomas — changed their respective avatars on social media to include a photo of Parsons, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Parsons and the Cowboys have been at odds as he’s sought a contract extension. Parsons is entering the fifth-year option of his rookie deal as a defensive end. He will earn $21.34 million this year.

As early as 2023, Parsons reached out to the Cowboys to discuss a contract extension. However, the two parties haven’t made any substantial progress in contract talks. The Cowboys could continue to use their franchise tag on Parsons and retain his rights until 2028.

While this would keep the Cowboys from having to sign a long-term deal with Parsons, it would be a costly endeavor. In his online statement, Parsons claimed he wanted to make it work with the Cowboys, but could no longer see a future in Dallas.

“I wanted to be here,” Parsons wrote. “I did everything I could to show that I wanted to be a Cowboy and wear the star on my helmet. I wanted to play in front of the best fans in sports and make this Americas team once again. The team my pops and I grew up cheering for way up in Harrisburg, PA.

“Unfortunately I no longer want to be here. I no longer want to be held to close door negotiations without my agent present. I no longer want shots taken at me for getting injured while laying it on the line for the organization our fans and my teammates. I no longer want narratives created and spread to the media about me. I had purposely stayed quiet in hopes of getting something done.”

Parsons’ teammate, CeeDee Lamb, hasn’t changed his online profile picture to support Parsons, but he backed the linebacker on Friday after he requested a trade. In a post to Instagram, Lamb simply wrote “SMH.” However, he more actively addressed the situation in a post to X.

“Never fails dawg,” Lamb wrote. “Just pay the man, what you owe em. No need for the extra curricular.”

Other star pass rushers around the league, including Myles Garrett (four years, $160 million), Maxx Crosby (three years, $106.5 million) and T.J. Watt (three years, $123 million), have each signed massive extensions this offseason. The historic contracts are only adding to the pressure on Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

In his four seasons with the Cowboys, Micah Parsons has been excellent. This past season, Parsons tallied 43 tackles and 12 sacks, the fifth-most in the league, despite missing four games due to injury.

Parsons is a two-time First-Team All-Pro and a four-time Pro Bowler. He was the 2021 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and won the Butkus Award that year, as well.