It’s no secret that things can get rather interesting when it comes to the Dallas Cowboys, owner Jerry Jones, and contracts, and the latest public rumblings involving Micah Parsons further emphasize that.
In years past, the Cowboys have waited to give out contracts only for players to get more expensive and for them to pay them anyway, and now, with Parsons, it could be headed in a similar direction.
Now, Mark Schlereth, a three-time Super Bowl champion and current analyst for Fox Sports, provided his opinion on the matter.
Before that, though, let’s back up to how we got here.
What’s Happening With Micah Parson and Jerry Jones
For context, Clarence Hill Jr., a long-time Cowboys reporter, made a post on X citing Jones’ comment about Parsons’ agent, David Mulugheta.
Jones said, “The agent is not a concern here … I don’t know his name.”
Following that, Parsons took to X, quoting Hill Jr.’s post, and said the following:
“Facts!! David is the best and I will not be doing any deal without @DavidMulugheta involved! Like anyone with good sense I hired experts for a reason. There is no one I trust more when it comes to negotiating contracts than David! There will be no backdoors in this contract negotiation.”
Facts!! David is the best and I will not be doing any deal without @DavidMulugheta involved! Like anyone with good sense I hired experts for a reason. There is no one I trust more when it comes to negotiating contracts than David! There will be no backdoors in this contract… https://t.co/nxKNSIXLvt
— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) April 1, 2025
Schlereth on the Parsons-Jerry Jones Situation
Following the public back-and-forth between Parsons and the Cowboys through social media, Schlereth appeared on Breakfast Ball, a show on FS1, and provided his thoughts on the matter.
“This is why a head coach shouldn’t be a GM. This is why the owner shouldn’t be the GM,” Schlereth began.
“This is why you should hire somebody to do his job because if you had a GM operating and negotiating this contract, you could sit there as the owner and say ‘Hey, Micah and I are tight. We have talked about it. It’s the GM’s job to get this thing done.'” Schlereth continued.
Of course, this negotiation came after the defensive end of the Cleveland Browns, Myles Garrett, signed a four-year deal worth $160 million.
“…It just makes you look at the ownership, makes you look at the upstairs and go ‘Clown show,'” Schlereth added.
.@markschlereth reacts to Jerry Jones' comments on Micah Parsons: "I'm the one who has to write the check… agent is not a factor" ⬇️
"This is why a head coach shouldn't be a GM. This is why the owner shouldn't be the GM." pic.twitter.com/vdV8q7caBR
— Breakfast Ball (@BrkfstBallOnFS1) April 2, 2025
Recent Cowboys Contract Conundrums
As mentioned, many contract negotiation missteps have occurred from the Cowboys and Jones.
Some examples include the following:
- Dak Prescott: The team ultimately signed him to an extension, but it came after two straight years of a franchise tag. This cost them millions of dollars for delaying what was viewed as the inevitable.
- Ezekiel Elliott: The team gave Elliott a six-year, $90 million deal in 2019. In 2019, he had 301 carries for 1,357 yards and 12 touchdowns. However, after that, he had just one 1,000-yard season over the next three and went above 4.0 yards per carry just once.
- DeMarcus Lawrence: Another player franchise tagged twice before signing him to a five-year, $105 million deal.
Will the Cowboys franchise tag Parsons twice before finally paying him? It remains to be seen.