Throughout the negotiating process between Micah Parsons and the Cowboys, it became clear agent David Mulugheta was not a participant. An in-person meeting between Parsons and owner Jerry Jones was followed multiple times by unsuccessful attempts on the edge rusher’s part to conduct traditional extension negotiations. 
[RELATED: Eagles Made Top Parsons Trade Offer]
Players without agents conduct contract talks directly with their teams, but such instances are uncommon when it comes to players who have NFLPA certified representation. Mulugheta – long known as one of the most prominent agents in the NFL and who ultimately landed Parsons a Packers extension which moved the bar for non-QB compensation – was not included in the initial Parsons-Jones talks, which the All-Pro attempted to distance himself from through his trade request. Negotiations were not restarted after that took place, leading to an eventual trade agreement with Green Bay.
Interim NFLPA executive director David White commented on the matter of Jones going out of his way to avoid including Mulugheta in negotiations. Meanwhile, Darrell Revis (who has been rumored as a candidate for the full-time executive director position) offered a sharp criticism of the way the Parsons situation was handled. When speaking on the subject, Jones denied the notion that any CBA violations occurred.
“There is no violation, period,” Jones said during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan (via Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS). “I have all the authority in the world and the player has all the authority in the world to negotiate directly with me. There is no equivocation there… But I will a hundred times [pay] the fine or the penalty [if one is issued].”
To Jones’ point, there is precedent for players working out extensions directly with general managers and having their agents simply finalize the agreement. The Cowboys have taken that route on multiple occasions, with Jones handling a central role given his position as Dallas’ owner but also general manager. On the other hand, monster deals like the Parsons one are not known to be worked out in short order and especially not by means of informal talks where agents are absent.
The Cowboys informed Parsons upon his attempts to resume negotiations in August he would remain in place and play out his fifth-year option or be traded. The latter route was taken, with Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark and a pair of first-round picks heading to Dallas. The timing of the agreement (one week before the start of the season) led to many raised eyebrows around the league and marked a departure from standard procedure for the Cowboys regarding big-ticket extension agreements being worked out late.
Jones has received criticism for the terms of the trade but also the process which resulted in a swap taking place. There have been no indications any kind of discipline will be issued to the Cowboys stemming from the Parsons negotiations, and it is clear Jones does not expect a punishment to be handed down.
Well if Jerry Jones says Jerry Jones didn’t do anything wrong, that’s the end of that.
He didn’t do anything wrong, but if they say he did, he’ll just pay the fine and not even fight it. Jerry’s World.
Yes, he did something wrong. But he doesn’t care. Not that it matters much at this point since Michael (Jerry’s words) doesn’t play for Jerry anymore.
For the uninitiated… what did he do wrong, Mustard?
It’s not mustard, it’s Grey Poupon.
Im now picturing a QB “passing” the Grey Poupon.
Still.. With all that face work.. If he entered a Jerry Jones look-a-like contest, he’d come in third.
Oh, good, we can clear the investigation.
Jones is such a toolbag
Well, Jerry is the man… For the Cowboys that is… 🤠
False! He’s the man of the moment fir the Packers as well.
well thats settled!
“There is no violation, period,” Jones said. Well that settles that.
No violation, No Parsons, No Problem! says Jones Inc.
Humans with lots and lots of money tend to operate as though rules do not pertain to them. Regrettably, those in positions with the authority to punish violators too-often agree with and encourage that train of thought.
Why am I only now starting to see Jerry Jones as the NFL’s George Steinbrenner?
Go to their graves refusing to accept that not every player will do/put up with anything to be a Cowboy/Yankees
Dumb Jock Logic to the max!
Besides, not everyone wanted to play for New England when they were spying on opponents, running up the score, etc., etc.
“Running up the score” this ain’t little league
The difference is that Steinbrenner didn’t go 30 years without a championship.
Maybe im missing something but what did he do wrong (actual real question)? He as the owner and general manager prefer not to deal with this agent (jerry choice) and the player prefers not to deal with owner / general manager directly (micah’s choice). No negotiation happens until one side compromises or does a work around. Maybe have the agent on the phone or video conference everyone or have a runner pass notes between conference rooms who knows.
Each side can choose who they work with or not. If they dont then no negotiations happen and everything stays as status quo until the contract runs out. Happens in baseball all the time with some teams with not wanting to work with Boras.
Because via the CBA that both the owners and the players agreed to you cannot talk contract with anyone other than the players representative in any sort of formal manner. Jerry Jones tried to bypass the CBA.
… and he preferred to trade one of the best players at the position rather than simply present the official offer to the agent.
“Narcissistic Petulance”
From what i read, you can conduct with the player OR a licensed agent that is approved by the NFLPA that represents the player. You cant discuss contract with anyone else other than that. There is nothing saying he has to go through an agent as Lamar Jackson represented himself.
It also says in the article,
“Players without agents conduct contract talks directly with their teams, but such instances are uncommon when it comes to players who have NFLPA certified representation.”
Uncommon but not against the rules. The only thing that i read is that it has to be in good faith and thats what they are hoping to hit him with. Its a long road to assume it was in bad faith as he is also the GM and has said multiple times he wanted to make him the highest paid defensive lineman and with what they did for dak he definitely has precedent doing that. Please correct me if im wrong on any of this as i dont see the problem or the any violation being committed. Weird but not against any rule or illegal or against any violation.
Except Micah… has an agent.
@bearmeat
“Players without agents conduct contract talks directly with their teams, but such instances are UNCOMMON WHEN IT COMES TO PLAYERS WHO HAVE NFLPA CERTIFIED REPRESENTATION.”
uncommon not illegal or in violation so he is allowed to offer it and micah can reject it. reading through the cba and both are in compliance of the cba as even in the grievance there is no line they can point to in cba there is a violation only its in “bad faith” which i cant remember a record breaking offer being bad faith.
I might be misremembering some of the specifics here but from what I remember…Jerry and Micah had talks (informal talks from Micah’s PoV) about a new contract. Micah basically said “great relay this over to my agent and we’ll hammer out the final details” and Jerry basically said “no, sign this now with no agent involved”.
It’s not like Micah is the outlier here for having an agent and presumably this is not Jerry’s first contract negotiation so he should know/expect that even if the player agrees to a deal they’d probably want to send it over to their agent or another trusted rep to look over the contract and make sure there’s nothing weird or secretly thrown in there. I’d assume Jerry has done something similar in the past where he would send any sort of contract he might sign over to his legal department/lawyers to look over first. For whatever reason, Jerry did not want to do this. I don’t want to get all tinfoil hat on but to me, the only reason you’d not want to send a contract over to the player’s rep/agent is because you’re trying to sneak something in there.
@JT
Definitely not his first contract as he is the defacto gm so most if not all contracts would go through him as GM and owner like ceedee and dak. I could be remembering wrong but they never had a meeting other than him saying i want to make you the richest non qb. No groundwork or details sent out other than that. If there were im sure numbers would have leaked. Jerry is not a secretive guy if anything just the opposite.
While i agree it would not usually pass the sniff test, Jerry wants things his way to get his name in the headlines as big and bright as he can get them. I dont think he said sign it without agent review but if he did again as micah did, he said no and i believe both said there were no official negotiations (jerry no agents micah only wanting agent) and even as you mentioned informal as well. Does this make jerry look bad probably but thats what he thrives on just like steinbrenner did in the past. Does this stop anyone from wanting to go to the cowboys, probably not. Will it happen again jerry or no jerry probably unless they make it officially part of the CBA but i wouldnt be surprised of workarounds either like rooney rule and legal tampering.
let it go…this story has been milked more than Old MacDonald’s cow.
I thought it was Catherine O’Leary’s cow that started it all? 🔥
Possibly, but I’ve never met an Irishman who preferred milk over beer.
I’ve never met an Irishman who preferred anything over beer. Except a fight maybe. And like all the people above I concur that if Jerry said so he probably did something wrong. Like his buddy the Orange Blowhole and that movie with Robert Morse and Gene Hackman went, Deny, Deny, Deny. Deny.
I prefer potatoes to beer..also prefer jameson to beer…but im also the only Irish person with no middle name..most have 2
Bearmeat-O’ Leary’s cow got framed.
Kinda like Nagy got framed for Trubs and Nagy for Fields and Eberflus for Williams? 😈
(And yes I know the Chicago fire was not actually started by an Irishman’s cow. Sorry couldn’t help not taking the shot. The door was wide open there 😆)
Sorry. Apologies for the movie. It was Walter Matthau not Gene Hackman. My bad.
That big D on Jerry’s hat is perfect 🍆😂
Wonder what the ratings will be like for packers cowboys in 2 weeks🤣🤣
It’s gonna be absolutely nuts. I’d expect Micah to go bonkers.
Jc- LMAO
Owners never lie. Just ask Kawhi and company.
It’s good to know the Jerry has investigated and cleared HIMSELF of any wrongdoing!
Case closed.
Glad that Jerry conducted an investigation into tampering and found himself innocent. Now we can put that to bed and get on with him running the NFL, err, I mean the Cowboys.
“Lack of ethics” is a far better predictor of business success than “intelligence” or “innovation”.
And virtually no price will ever be paid for it.
Jerry understands this as well as anyone.
That’s a pretty good quote. I had to Google to find it’s author.
Oh, what did you come up with?
Wonder what that payoff cost?