Micah Parsons update: All-Pro’s attendance at Cowboys OTAs mixed amid contract dispute

FRISCO, Texas — Regular attendance at the Dallas Cowboys‘ offseason program and three-time All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons haven’t gone hand-in-hand throughout his career.

Parsons has previously opted to train on his own instead of participating in the voluntary portion of the offseason program, organized team activities, something he’s chalked up in the past to his “style.”  Prior to the 2025 NFL Draft, he claimed his new plan was to come to at least walk through new Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus’ playbook.

“I’ve still got to learn the playbook, and I’m not so much much of an iPad person where I can just keep learning,” Parsons said on April 23. “Like, I’ve got to walk through it. Maybe so much I might not be on the field part of it, but I’ll be there learning where at least I’m getting prepared to be ready Week 1.”

Parsons has been somewhat true to his word through the first two practices of Cowboys OTAs, which kicked off Monday. New Dallas head coach Brian Schottenheimer revealed Parsons was at The Star, the Cowboys’ team facility, on Monday, but Parsons was nowhere to be seen for OTA practice No. 2 on Tuesday, the first one open to media. 

“Yeah, he showed up a little bit the last couple days,” Schottenheimer said. “He’s been in and out some. I don’t know if he’s here yet today. He was here yesterday, had a great [chat] actually, had lunch with him yesterday. But again, when he’s here, he’s been great. And again, it’s all voluntary. So guys are in and out, some guys come to meetings, some guys come to practice, some guys are just here getting treatment and things like that. And that’s not just specific to Micah, it’s specific to all the guys.”

On the last year of his rookie deal, Parsons previously told CBS Sports he’s seeking a contract with an annual average value over $40 million — more than the Browns inked Myles Garrett for recently. The market for defensive ends exploded this offseason: the Raiders’ Maxx Crosby signed a three-year, $106.5 million extension ($35.6 million average per year), the Texans’ Danielle Hunter signed a one-year, $35.6 million extension and Garrett’s’s four-year extension lifted him to the 40 club. 

Parsons is younger than all those players. 

“I would say I’m more in my prime than a lot of these other guys who are more in the second half of their career,” Parsons told CBS Sports. 

🏈 Most sacks in NFL last 5 seasons

A gap still exists between what Parsons and his agent want and what the Cowboys are willing to stomach, which could make for a dramatic and even tense next few months. 

Schottenheimer has been intentional about relationship-building since being promoted from offensive coordinator to head coach following Mike McCarthy’s Dallas divorce, and that certainly includes connecting with Parsons. Part of that connection process has involved Schottenheimer attending his players’ charity events to deepen his bond with his players. 

“Micah is going to be a leader for us. Micah wants to be a leader for us, he’s going to do that. I felt like it was really important for him to be here and to begin that process,” Schottenheimer said. “Again, it’s a voluntary camp, the fact that he did that [showed up for OTA No.1 on Monday], means a lot to me. We’ve been really spending a lot of time this offseason, trying to support one another.”

Schottenheimer attending Parsons’ “Pins for a Purpose” philanthropy event certainly had the head coach’s desired effect with the four-time Pro Bowler gushing about how much that meant to him. It is also a massive reason why Parsons has decided to show up to the facility at all while in the midst of on-going contract negotiations. 

“I just thought it was important, one, for me and my relationship with our new head coach to understand where he’s coming from and help him in any way I can to you know go on this run,” Parsons said. … “Schotty’s been around and trying to build relationships. So I feel like we’re at the point if he asks for me to come in for a couple days for its importance for the leadership aspect and be around the guys and show face, that’s something I wanted to do for my coach or anybody.

“… I always said I wanted to be a Cowboy and be here, so I fell like it’s just really been me. I’ve been as real as possible since I’ve been here.”    

However, there’s little anything Schottenheimer can do to prevent Parsons from holding out of training camp if he doesn’t have a new contract by the end of July. That’s something the 25-year-old hinted at when he spoke at the end of April. 

“It’s extremely important,” Parsons said. “You really see a lot of players struggle, guys aren’t participating in camp and get off to slow starts. I don’t want to get off to no slow starts. I want to hit the ground running and establish ourselves in this league and get some wins early in the season and be in rhythm. It’s going to be extremely important to get going and lead these guys.”      

Given that Schottenheimer has been on the Cowboys staff in some capacity since 2023, he knows how owner and general manager Jerry Jones rolls when it comes to extending his stars. Jones prefers to wait until the last possible second to feel safe in paying up for a star player in order to feel comfortable with said star’s level of injury risk. That’s a front office philosophy conducive to creating holdouts, of which Dallas has had a few over the last couple of years — seven-time All-Pro right guard Zack Martin (2023) and Lamb (2024) come to mind. 

Schottenheimer knows this, which is why his focus remains on creating a familial, authentic culture in his first season as the Cowboys head coach. Good cop, if you will. 

“This is big business. This is the National Football League,” Schottenheimer said. “And there’s negotiation and there’s things that go into it. … I have an agent. We all have advisors. ….  It’s our job to support all of these guys. Again, take Micah’s name out of it. It doesn’t matter. Insert [a] name. I’m going to support them and talk to them and, ‘Hey, what do you need from me? What can I be doing for you? Hey, I’d love to have you here for this. If you can’t be here, I get it. It’s all voluntary.'”