Preseason football is over and NFL teams are making roster decisions ahead of the final cut deadline tomorrow at 4 p.m. ET.
There’s been plenty of movement as teams cut their roster down to the final 53-player squad. As franchises make these decisions, another issue continues to loom large for the Dallas Cowboys: Micah Parsons’ contract.
The four-time Pro Bowler is holding out ahead of his fifth season, the last on his rookie contract, for a contract extension. Parsons has been one of the best defensive players in the league since Dallas selected him at No. 12 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Parsons remains unsigned to an extension as the Cowboys wrapped up their preseason slate with a 31-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Parsons was in attendance but not suited up and was seen napping on the Cowboys’ trainer table during the game.
The Cowboys play on the opening night of the 2025 NFL season against the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. Parsons would be a key piece of attacking the Eagles’ potent offense and talented offensive line.
Parsons and the Cowboys could’ve agreed to an extension last offseason but the franchise focused on long-term deals for quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb instead.
The star edge rusher is attending mandatory activities in training camp but is not practicing until a new deal is done. Here’s the latest on his status in the final week before the regular season:
Micah Parsons contract latest updates
There’s been no reported progress on a deal between Parsons’ representation and the Cowboys. Much has come out surrounding the negotiations, though.
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones appeared on Pro Football Hall of Famer and Cowboys legend Michael Irvin’s YouTube channel last week and described the talks between the two sides.
‘When we wanted to send the [contract] details to the agent, the agent told us to stick it up our ass,’ Jones said. ‘Micah and I talked and then we were gonna send it over to the agent. We had our agreements on term, amount, guarantees, everything.’
Jones said Parsons’ agent told him not to bother talking with the edge rusher as they still had to negotiate terms, something Jones thought already happened.
‘We’ve got this resolved in my mind, for the Dallas Cowboys,’ Jones said. ‘And we got it done. If the agent wants to finish up the details, which he should, and do all the paperwork, then he could do that. We’re ready to go. As far as the amount of money, the years, the guarantees, all of that, we negotiated that.’
Cowboys coach meeting with Parsons
Two days after Jones made those remarks on Irvin’s show, Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said he is planning to meet with Parsons following the star’s actions during the win over the Falcons.
Parsons was the only Cowboys player on the sideline in Atlanta without a jersey on. Schottenheimer wanted to speak with him after images of Parsons napping on the training table circulated on social media.
‘Without talking to Micah, I need to figure out what he was doing and why he was doing it,’ Schottenheimer said. ‘So, until I talk to him, I’m obviously not going to talk about it.’
Parsons did address his lie-down on the training table on social media shortly after the game, quoting a post from WFAA’s Mike Leslie on X saying that Parsons was lying on the table for a short period of the game.
‘The way media shapes perception and narratives is wild—and if he hadn’t said anything, everyone would’ve just run with it,’ Parsons wrote. ‘I’d never disrespect the guys out there fighting for their lives.’
When is the Cowboys’ season opener?
Dallas starts the 2025 NFL season on the road in Week 1 against the Eagles in the kickoff game for the new season.
Date: Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025
Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Location: Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia
TV: NBC
Streaming: Peacock, NFL+, fubo
Catch the 2025 NFL season opener on fubo