Since the Dallas Cowboys traded star edge Micah Parsons, a lot of water has flowed under the Dallas bridge. Just a month ago, Cowboys fans could not have imagined the defensive star in another uniform for Week 1 of the 2025 season and had no idea anything like this would happen going into the new season. But the relationship between Parsons and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones quickly deteriorated, resulting in the trade of a generational star who always “wanted to be a Cowboy.”
On Aug. 1, Parsons released a statement on social media asking for a trade after not receiving a contract extension with one year remaining on his rookie deal. About three weeks later, Jones made some comments to the press that didn’t sit well with Parsons’ agent, David Mulugheta.
“We’ve got it in the bag, it’s all written down and ready to go,” Jones said on Aug. 21. “… When we wanted to send the details to the agent, the agent told us to stick it up our (expletive).”
In an appearance Tuesday on ESPN’s “First Take,” Mulugheta took a jab at Jones when asked about that remark.
“It might be hard for some to believe, but I don’t think I’ve ever used that phrase in my life,” Mulugheta said. “And in my 40-plus years, I definitely wouldn’t use it with somebody that I have to work with, or somebody that I plan on working with in the future. So, no, that wasn’t true.
“It was a misrepresentation of what I said. What I did tell them was that if they believed that the contract was already finalized and they were sending it over to me to be rubber-stamped, then they probably shouldn’t send it over.”
As the Cowboys front office worked through free agency and the draft, the prevailing thought was that a Parsons deal would get done eventually, which is what happened with CeeDee Lamb last year.
Jones made it clear in a conversation with former Cowboys All-Pro wide receiver Michael Irvin that he prefers to deal directly with players rather than agents. But Parsons and Mulugheta stayed aligned, and the eventual outcome was a trade to Green Bay.
