Is Micah Parsons gearing up for his “Last Dance” season with the Dallas Cowboys? The 26-year-old superstar seemed to hint at that possibility Thursday, when he tweeted a “one last time” GIF.
Parsons tweeted out the image while responding to a photo of him with Trevon Diggs at team training camp. In doing so, Parsons seemed to imply this will be the last season he and Diggs will be teammates on the Cowboys.
The GIF comes amid a tense back-and-forth between Parsons and the organization. Parsons has lobbied for a new contract all offseason, but has yet to agree to a deal with the team. While Parsons reported to training camp, he’s not participating in drills as part of a hold-in. It’s assumed Parsons will start practicing once he signs a new contract.
Whether that new contract comes remains a major question. Frustrations seem to have reached a boiling point with Parsons, who is reportedly considering asking for a trade, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic.
The main issue between the Cowboys and Parsons reportedly stems from a misunderstanding in the spring, per Russini. Parsons reportedly negotiated a contract directly with team owner Jerry Jones, leading the Cowboys to assume the team had a deal in place.
Parsons’ agent got involved and tried to continue negotiating, but the team reportedly shut that down and wanted Parsons to “honor the agreement he had made,” per Russini.
The team apparently won’t negotiate with Parsons’ agent at all now, which has played a major role in the drama.
Throughout the entire offseason, Parsons stated he wants to remain with the Cowboys. In July, Parsons told reporters, “I want to be here. At the end of the day, they sign the checks. Lets see if they want me to be here.
Parsons has the track record to justify a potentially record-breaking new contract. He’s made the Pro Bowl in each of his first four seasons and is a two-time first-team All-Pro. While he’s never won the Defensive Player of the Year award, Parsons has finished in the top three for the honor three times.
While Parsons has waited for a new deal, multiple other star defensive players have signed new contracts, raising the bar for what Parsons could make in his next deal. Myles Garrett, Maxx Crosby and T.J. Watt all signed new deals in the offseason, one-upping each other to briefly become the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.
Watt currently holds that title after signing a three-year, $123 million extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers in July. Parsons will almost certainly look to break that record with his next contract.