Micah Parsons has been waiting for a contract extension with the Dallas Cowboys for a year and a half. What started out as tentative talks has now turned into an embarrassing spectacle.

The NFL is more than just “playing football.” Even if it involves the best players in the world.

The NFL is a business. And, in part, a spectacle. Proof: the contract dispute between the Dallas Cowboys and Micah Parsons. It’s a dispute because it’s no longer a negotiation.

Contract negotiations dragging on is nothing new in this league.

But what Parsons, owner and general manager Jerry Jones, and advisor David Mulugheta are publicly throwing at each other has nothing to do with professionalism. It’s just one thing: embarrassing!

Dallas Cowboys: Jerry Jones loves drama more than winning

It’s no coincidence that the Cowboys are so chronically unsuccessful. “I don’t like it when it’s quiet and nothing is being written,” Jones said after the first preseason game. “And when it’s quiet, I come out and make sure something is written.”

A statement that should actually cause consternation – but instead, Cowboys fans shrug it off, seemingly accustomed to nothing else.

With the latest statements on former Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin’s YouTube channel, Jones added fuel to the fire: “When I sent Micah’s agent the details, he told me to shove them up my ass.”

Even if Parsons’ agent Mulugheta did make that statement, which cannot be verified anyway, why does Jones feel the need to trumpet it publicly? Does he think that the Parsons side will then be more willing to sign a contract?

The Cowboys are actually known for being loyal to the players they draft. But the Parsons case is currently spiraling out of control. It proves that money is more important to Jones than sporting success. And headlines, of course.

T.J. Watt and the Pittsburgh Steelers show how negotiations between a star player and a franchise can go when both sides act with a clear head.

Admittedly, he too felt compelled to hold out. But there was no mudslinging, no toxic statements and, above all, no demands to insert offers into body orifices. And if there were, at least they weren’t discussed publicly.

Dallas Cowboys: Parsons plays along

But Parsons himself is probably not entirely blameless. Logically, negotiations have been ongoing since spring 2024, when the pass rusher became “contract eligible” and could therefore extend his contract. And the Cowboys have failed to make an adequate offer since then.

But what is adequate if not the biggest contract for a non-quarterback in NFL history? Assuming Jones wasn’t fibbing in the interview.

In the end, it’s surely about the guaranteed amount, which isn’t high enough for the quarterback hunter’s camp. But in negotiations, it’s not just one side that can move.

The result is a soap opera, and not even a good one, that is unparalleled. The outcome is open.

Only one thing is certain at the moment: none of those involved are covering themselves in glory.