The Dallas Cowboys often do not get through a week without making headlines, and that was the case this time, with the focus squarely on Jerry Jones and his franchise’s star, Micah Parsons. When Jones appeared on Michael Irvin’s YouTube podcast recently, the Cowboys owner was asked directly about the team’s proposed contract to Parsons during the early part of the offseason. Irvin asked outright if that contract would have made Parsons the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback. Jones stalled before outlining a line in the sand: “I can’t necessarily say [that]. It would’ve made him the highest-guaranteed player other than a quarterback in the NFL.”

But that’s not all. Per beat reporter Joseph Hoyt on X, “Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to @michaelirvin88 on the offer to Micah Parsons: “When we wanted to send the details to the agent [David Mulugheta], the agent told us to stick it up our a-s.” Now it’s Micah’s agent’s turn, David Mulugheta, who has given a subtle reaction to this statement by Jones.

While he refused to provide a public comment to SportsDayDFW, sources confirmed that he is well aware of the interview and Jones’ wording. His firm stand tells much: the camp is not shaken, but neither is it in a hurry to join the public dance-off. The future of the defensive end is as hot a subject as ever in Dallas, and the agent’s measured silence attests to how precarious these negotiations have turned.

Yoy know what makes it even more intriguing? Hours before speaking with Irvin, Jones had appeared on Fox News in the morning, giving a very vague view of Parsons’ value. “Micah’s a great player, not a good player,” Jones replied, before turning toward the bigger roster puzzle. “He knows more than anyone that it’s a team thing … you’ve got to put this puzzle together so that you can have some other people out there playing with Micah. That’s the art of the deal. And that’s what we’re trying to get done … We have all the appreciation in the world for what he can mean to the years ahead. We’re proud to have him.”

But by the time the afternoon came, Jones’ tone completely shifted. On Irvin’s podcast, he dropped the smooth diplomacy and opted for bluntness instead. He went back over the breakdown in talks, made pointed comments regarding the negotiation process, and provided just enough information to agitate the pot without closing it off for future negotiations.

And when Irvin pressed him on whether the offer would’ve made Parsons the highest-paid non-quarterback, that’s where the rubber met the road. Because let’s be real, everyone knows the crown currently belongs to Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt, who received $108 million guaranteed in his three-year, $123 million contract extension last month. Prior to that, San Francisco 49ers pass rusher Nick Bosa had established the standard at $88 million guaranteed. So, what about Micah?

Micah Parsons’ extension standoff casts a shadow over Dallas

The Cowboys have a habit of hovering on the NFL’s largest storylines, and Parsons’ standoff is no exception. His negotiations have been on ice since the summer, keeping him in a “hold-in” during camp in Oxnard. Even before appearing on Irvin’s program, Jones admitted that the team had stalled. When asked by the media what was holding up negotiations from the beginning, Jones answered bluntly, “Really, nothing.”

When questioned further about why negotiations hadn’t yet commenced, he shrugged it off with, “We might or might not talk. The rest of that gets into what we do every day.” That lack of urgency is striking, considering the Cowboys open their season in just two weeks against the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. For now, there is no deadline in Jones’ mind to resolve things before kickoff.

Parsons remains on his rookie contract. But that doesn’t eliminate the storm cloud hanging over Dallas’ season. ESPN’s Adam Schefter fanned those flames on Tuesday when he said on The Pat McAfee Show that the most likely scenario is Parsons plays through 2025. “It feels like they’re gonna put up with each other this year,” Schefter said. ”And then, the Cowboys are gonna have the franchise tag and put the franchise tag on him, and then next offseason would be the offseason of the Micah trade.”

The defensive end franchise tag would look like $26.535 million next season, according to Over The Cap. That’s a high number, but still short of what Parsons would be able to get on the open market, which is likely over $40 million per year. It’s easy to imagine how the situation could infuriate the All-Pro, especially if he dominates another season while stuck under the tag. And for Jones, the tag is leverage, a means of keeping Parsons in Dallas without granting him the complete extension he desires.

What’s certain is this drama is far from over. Whether or not Parsons takes the field in Week 1 against Philadelphia, the Cowboys’ leadership and his camp are still on parallel tracks. And Jones’ words, both tempered and sloppy, have done nothing to bridge that gap.