Micah Parsons gets OT sack but nobody wins in Packers’ visit to Dallas a month after trade

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Micah Parsons finally got a sack for the Green Bay Packers against his former mentor in overtime, but nobody won in the star rusher’s return to Dallas on Sunday night.

The Cowboys had to settle for a short field goal on the opening possession in overtime, that kick coming two plays after Parsons tackled a scrambling Dak Prescott from behind at the 4 — on a play for no gain that went as a sack.

“I’m supposed to make that play,” Parsons said after the much-hyped reunion. “That’s the reason why I’m here.”

After that, the Packers got a field goal of their own at the end of the extra 10-minute period for a 40-40 tie, the NFL’s first deadlock since 2022.

Parsons’ return came came exactly a month after the Cowboys unloaded him in a blockbuster trade that ended a long and acrimonious stalemate through training camp and the preseason over a contract extension.

“All in all, the emotions for me being in Dallas went away the moment they traded me,” Parsons said. “I didn’t even get to talk to my owner (Jerry Jones), the person that drafted me. I found out through my agent. … So to me, that emotion side was pointless, because the same way he called me in his office as a man, he couldn’t tell me as a man. So to me that that emotion side was gone. It was more about a respect factor at this point.”

Parsons finished with that sack, two assisted tackles and three quarterback hurries.

The trade to Green Bay was contingent upon Parsons agreeing to a $188 million, four-year extension. That $47 million annual average is the highest for a non-quarterback in league history.

Jones had believed he had a deal in place with Parsons at $40.5 million per season, which at the time would have made Parsons the first defensive player to surpass $40 million annually. That came in a conversation between the two, and Jones never engaged Parsons’ agent despite the 2021 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year’s insistence that David Mulugheta be his final negotiator.

Just as Jones said during the week that it wasn’t appropriate for a video tribute of Parsons’ four seasons in Dallas, the owner also said after the game he didn’t feel it was right for them to talk beforehand.

“What are we supposed to do when we’re getting ready to play each other? And all’s at stake for him, and all’s at stake for our team, and the Cowboys. And that’s not appropriate to be visiting as you get ready to play,” Jones said. “I know very few people other than his family that have any more pleasant talks with Micah than I’ve had.”

As for if there was any talk on the field between the rusher and the quarterback, Prescott said, “Zero. None at all, until afterward. It was good talks afterward. Staying healthy. Great job. It was fun competing against you.”

On the Packers’ final defensive play of regulation, Parsons was charging hard and bumped into Prescott after he let go of a 28-yard TD to George Pickens in the final minute for a 37-34 lead. That was the seventh consecutive lead-change touchdown before the Packers ended regulation with a field goal.

Then in overtime, Dallas only got that deep after Prescott, while being pursed by Parsons, hit Jalen Tolbert for a 34-yard gain after he somehow managed to get both feet in bounds.

Parsons told The Associated Press at the start of the week that it would be “painful” to sack his mentor, Prescott.

But it was Parsons who grabbed at his back on the sideline after going down hard on a play late in the third quarter.

“I came out for a play, and next thing you know they took me in a tent. I thought that was very weird, because I didn’t even grab my head when I came up. I grabbed my back,” he said. “That was just so weird. I don’t know what the NFL saw or why they tried to put me in concussion protocol.”

Once out of that tent, Parsons got his helmet and turned toward the field just as the Cowboys scored. He raised his arms in apparent frustration and almost threw his helmet.

After the Packers retook the lead with a touchdown, Parsons was on the field for their first defensive play after that early in the fourth quarter.

Parsons has 2 1/2 sacks for the Packers, while the Cowboys not surprisingly have been left with one of the worst pass rushes in the NFL. Dallas also had the 32nd-ranked pass defense and, on the game’s opening drive gave up a 46-yard pass on a third-and-9 before Jordan Love’s 2-yard TD pass, the first of his three while throwing for 337 yards.

“I think Micah is a pro. He shows up every day, competes at a very high level,” Love said. “There’s probably a lot of emotion coming back here and (he) wanted to have a great game. He made a big-time play right there when they were close to the end zone.”

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