It's training camp season around the NFL, and the Dallas Cowboys kicked off their annual workouts when rookies and veterans reported to Staybridge Suites in Oxnard, CA, on Monday. Cowboys fans spent the early part of the offseason wondering if the team would extend star pass rusher Micah Parsons before camp began, and it didn't take long for the contract drama to take center stage on Monday.
Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones, as per usual, stirred up a ton of controversy when talking with reporters as training camp began. When asked about potentially extending Parsons to a lucrative extension, the outspoken billionaire didn't hesitate to take a shot at this star defender.
"Just because we sign him doesn't mean we're gonna have him. He was hurt six games last year. Seriously," Jones said (h/t @MySportsUpdate), even though Parsons only missed four contests.
#Cowboys owner Jerry Jones randomly takes a shot at Micah Parsons, saying even if they sign him, it doesn’t mean they’ll have him, because he was hurt for 6 games last year (fact check: he only missed 4).
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 21, 2025
He then also says they made Dak Prescott the richest player in football —… pic.twitter.com/g6T8FnEEOX
Unsurprisingly, it didn't take long for Jones' controversial quote (and the others) to spread across social media, catching the attention of former three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt.
"Anytime you can publicly take a dig at your star quarterback and your star pass rusher simultaneously, right before the season begins, you just gotta take it," Watt wrote on X. "Nothing makes guys want to fight for you more than hearing how upset you are that they got hurt while fighting for you."
Watt's fiery response was well-received by many frustrated Cowboys fans, as well as Parsons himself.
Cowboys' Micah Parsons Fires Back at Jerry Jones Amid Contract Drama
Shortly after it was posted, Parsons hopped on X to repost Watt's message, making it clear that he's on the same page as the all-time Houston Texans great. A screenshot of the Cowboys disruptor's reposting was shared by theScore, which can be seen below.
Jerry Jones said today of Micah Parsons, 'Just because we sign him doesn't mean we're going to have him. He was hurt 6 games last year.' He also took a shot at Dak.
— theScore (@theScore) July 21, 2025
Micah responded by reposting this. 👀👀 pic.twitter.com/2csfNsdFJL
Football players put their health on the line in one of the most dangerous professional sports, so the fact that Jones complained about Parsons' missed time (incorrectly, too) is nothing short of disrespectful. It's even more shocking considering how the 82-year-old owner has a reputation for caring about his players' well-being more than other franchises.
With that in mind, Parsons' decision to share Watt's post is completely understandable. Players are less likely to give it their all on the gridiron if their owner, who's also the GM in this case, doesn't fully appreciate the sacrifices they make on a weekly basis.
Jones might be doing his best to lower Parsons' value, but the fact of the matter is that he'll have no choice but to pay the former Penn State star eventually. Since the Cowboys drafted him 12th overall in 2021, Parsons has gone on to rack up 172 solo tackles, 52.5 sacks, nine defended passes, nine forced fumbles, and 112 quarterback hits. He's already been named first-team All-Pro twice and has even been the DPOY runner-up two times.
That's without mentioning how he's either finished with the first- or second-best Pro Football Focus defense grade among exterior defenders in three of his four seasons.
Difference-makers like Parsons don't grow on trees, and being forced to trade him or lose him as a free agent would set the Cowboys' pass rush back. On top of that, fans will be less likely to trust Jones & Co. if either of those situations happens.
Hopefully, Jones can put aside his frustrations to see the bigger picture. The Cowboys are a much better team when Parsons is active and producing, and the benefits stemming from locking him down soon outweigh any potential risks Jones is afraid of.