Jerry Jones claims that Micah Parsons’ agent, David Mulugheta, didn’t have kind words to say when he received the details about the contract the two sides allegedly agreed to in March.
“When we wanted to send the details to the agent, the agent told us to stick it up our ass,” the Dallas Cowboys owner said on Michal Irvin’s podcast.
Jones added that he and Parsons had agreed to “everything” on his next contract, including term, total value and guaranteed money. However, he said that Mulugheta told him that the two sides still needed to negotiate on the matter.
“Well, I already negotiated. I already moved off my mark on several areas,” Jones said of what he told Mulugheta earlier this offseason. “So, the issue, very frankly, is that we’ve had the negotiation in my mind. The agent’s trying to get his nose in it right now and come in there and improve off the mark that we already said.
“We’ve got this deal resolved, in my mind, for the Dallas Cowboys,” Jones added. “We’ve got it done and if the agent wants to finish up the details, which sure it and do all the paperwork, then he can do that. We’re ready to go. But, as far as the amount of money, the years, the guarantees, we’ve negotiated that.”
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Mulugheta has been a key reason for the dispute between Parsons and the Cowboys. When Parsons requested a trade earlier this month, he shared that his agent hadn’t been involved in contract talks even though the star edge rusher wanted Mulugheta to be included. A day later, Jones said that he didn’t want to involve Parsons’ agent, citing a situation that happened with Dez Bryant as to why he doesn’t talk to agents.
As Mulugheta still hasn’t been involved with contract talks surrounding Parsons, Jones made another real-life comparison for the situation.
“It’s the momma-daddy deal,” Jones said. “You go into momma and she won’t do it, and she’s the boss. She won’t do it, so you run into daddy and daddy says, ‘Do it.’ Then, you go back in and say, ‘Momma, daddy says it’s alright.’ It’s the ole mommy-daddy deal.
Earlier Thursday, Jones complimented Parsons in an appearance on “FOX & Friends,” but also explained why the team hasn’t met the star pass rusher’s contract demands yet.
“Micah’s a great player, not a good player but a great player,” Jones said on Thursday. “He knows more than anyone that it’s a team thing,” Jones said. “And so, I know everybody is tired of hearing this, but you got to put this puzzle together so that you can have some other people out there playing with Micah — that’s the art of the deal.
“And that’s what we’re trying to get done, and we’re trying to make this thing work. We have all the appreciation for what he can mean for the years ahead. We’re proud to have him.”
Jones’ comments on Thursday continued a string of more positive comments the team has about Parsons, who remains a hold-in at practice nearly three weeks after he requested a trade. Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer told reporters he felt “good” about Parsons’ chances of playing in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles on Wednesday. Jones also expressed optimism that Parsons would be in the season opener last week as well.
However, whatever optimism the Cowboys might be displaying about the situation would run contrary to a recent ESPN report that said both sides are “dug in” on their respective sides in contract talks. The report also indicated that a divorce between the Cowboys and Parsons would be the most likely outcome.
Still, Jones has expressed that the team won’t honor Parsons’ trade request as he hopes to get a longterm deal done with his top defensive player.
“I wouldn’t be standing here with you if I didn’t think we potentially had a great future with Micah,” Jones said earlier in August. “We’re in good shape. This is negotiation. But make no mistake about it, life has to go on if something happens to me or anybody else. Life does go on.”
Parsons, 26, is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is in line to be the next edge rusher to receive a massive payday. There’s been some speculation that he’s likely in line to receive a deal that surpasses the three-year, $123 million extension ($108 million guaranteed) T.J. Watt signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in July to become the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.
Parsons hasn’t stated what he’s seeking in contract talks. But he shared that he hasn’t liked how things have gone with Jones and the Cowboys in negotiations, revealing that the team hasn’t talked to his agent at all in this process.
“Up to today, the team has not had a single conversation with my agent about a contract. Not one demand has been made by my agent about money, years or anything else,” Parsons wrote in his letter when he requested a trade.
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