Parsons blamed his desire to leave Dallas on the elongated contract negotiations.
“Yes I wanted to be here. I did everything I could to show that I wanted to be a Cowboy and wear the star on my helmet,” he wrote. “I wanted to play in front of the best fans in sports and make this [America’s] team once again. The team my pops and I grew up cheering for way up in Harrisburg, PA. Unfortunately I no longer want to be here. I no longer want to be held to [closed-door] negotiations without my agent present. I no longer want shots taken at me for getting injured while laying it on the line for the organization, our fans and my teammates. I no longer want narratives created and spread to the media about me.”
Parsons said that he’d previously not made a fuss, hoping to get a deal done — something he’d desired since he was eligible after Year 3. Earlier this offseason, his agent, David Mulugheta, suggested it would be wise to wait until other deals were done — i.e., Myles Garrett, T.J. Watt — but Parsons said he preferred not to wait and hoped to engage with the Cowboys brass.
“I knew I would be leaving money on the table, but again I was OK with that,” Parsons wrote. “Again, radio silence as far as my extension. In March I met with [owner] Mr. [Jerry] Jones to talk about leadership. Somehow the conversation turned into him talking contract with me. Yes, I engaged in a back and forth in regards to what I wanted from my contract, but at no point did I believe this was supposed to be a formal negotiation and I informed Mr. Jones afterward my agent would reach out thinking this would get things done.”
Per Parsons, the Cowboys went silent on his agent and refused to negotiate, believing the framework of the deal was in place.
“Up to today, the team has not had a single conversation with my agent about a contract. Not one demand has been made by my agent about money, years or anything else,” he wrote before saying he’d formally requested a trade.