Mike McCarthy weighs in on Micah Parsons for Kenny Clark trade in extensive interview

Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy did not see the Micah Parsons trade coming. In fact, in the weeks leading up to the trade, he heard that Jerry Jones and Parsons were going to get a deal worked out.

A deal never materialized, however, and now, Parsons is in Green Bay – McCarthy's former home – and Kenny Clark, one of the former Packers coach's favorite players, is in Dallas. In his first extensive interview since his departure from the Cowboys coaching staff, McCarthy weighed in on how each of his former players fit in their new locker rooms.

MORE: Cowboys make Kenny Clark captain of the week for Dallas-Green Bay game

Oct 6, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Kenny Clark (97) pressures Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) during the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium. | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

“From the Dallas perspective, they are a young football team and this gives them a lot of draft capital moving forward," McCarthy told David Moore in "D Magazine". "Kenny Clark––I’m not trying to compare him to Micah because he plays a different position, and I’m not saying he’s a better person––but he’s a stud of a man. From Day 1, when we had him in Green Bay, he was a top-notch person. I think the world of him.

MORE: Get to know Cowboys DT Kenny Clark

“That’s a really good locker room in Dallas, and Kenny is a really good fit. That and two No. 1 picks…I know there is a long-term component that Dallas probably doesn’t want to talk about with this trade, but I think they should feel good about that."

“As for Micah, he goes to a young team and another great organization," McCarthy continued. "He can reach all of the goals he wants to reach as a player and a teammate. He’s in a great spot.’’

MORE: Mike McCarthy plotting return to coaching

Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons (1) rushes Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) on Thursday, September 11, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. | Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Cowboys come face-to-face with Parsons for the first time since the trade on Sunday night at AT&T Stadium. Dallas has made Kenny Clark a captain of the week and chosen not to honor Parsons, their former first-round pick, before the game starts.

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