Jones: Parsons' agent told me to stick contract terms up my ass

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones claims he and Micah Parsons agreed to an extension in March before the pass-rusher's agent shut the conversation down.

"When we wanted to send the details to the agent, the agent told us to stick it up our ass," Jones told Michael Irvin on his YouTube channel. "Micah and I talked, and then we were going to send it over to the agent. We had our agreements on term, amount, guarantees, everything. We were going to send it over to the agent, and the agent said, 'Don't bother because we've got all that to negotiate.'"

He continued: "Well, I'd already negotiated. I already moved off my mark on several areas. So, the issue, very frankly, is we've had the negotiation in my mind and the agent's trying to get his nose in it right now and try to come in there and improve off the mark that we already set."

Jones also revealed that his offer to Parsons would have made the pass-rusher the highest-paid non-quarterback in terms of guaranteed money.

"The world would know that I want Micah if they knew what I had offered him."

The talented edge rusher, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal, requested a trade earlier this month due to a contract dispute with the Cowboys' front office. Jones previously said he didn't regard the trade request with any "seriousness."

The 82-year-old told Irvin that, in his mind, Parsons will be with Dallas for at least another three seasons because the team can franchise tag him twice. Jones also cited a precedent set by the club's negotiations with quarterback Dak Prescott, who played the final year of his rookie deal in 2019 before getting a franchise tag in 2020 and 2021, though he was quickly extended after receiving the second.

Jones continued to blame Parsons' agent for the contract dispute. The pass-rusher noted in his trade request that he no longer wanted to participate in "close door negotiations without my agent present." Parsons also said he didn't consider the talks in March a formal negotiation.

"My job is managing the check," Jones explained. "Micah's got to do the playing. Where's the least important part of this whole equation we're talking about? What is the least incremental part of the whole equation? The attorney or the agent. He works for Micah. He's not the principal here in any way. They're in here to make their percentage. They're in here to, basically, yes, advise Micah."

He added, "So many times in this industry, you have a different agenda going on with agents. They're playing a game."

Parsons removed all mentions of the Cowboys from his X account following Jones' interview.

Parsons' status for Week 1 is uncertain, though head coach Brian Schottenheimer said Wednesday he felt good about the pass-rusher's availability.