Jimmy Johnson Reveals Honest Opinion on Cowboys Trading Micah Parsons to Packers

Jimmy Johnson spoke about the Cowboys and Packers’ Micah Parsons trade on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ | Screenshot via Pat McAfee on X

Former Cowboys coach and Fox NFL analyst Jimmy Johnson made an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show Wednesday, and among the topics discussed was the blockbuster trade that saw Micah Parsons head from Dallas to Green Bay.

When asked by host Pat McAfee for his thoughts on the trade, Johnson made clear that he wasn’t a fan of that trade, but also acknowledged that Jerry Jones made the best of a bad situation by pulling the trigger on the deal.

“I didn’t like it. I didn’t like it at all, but of course, him getting injured, maybe it was the right thing to do. ... I just don’t think you get rid of game-changing players. Somehow, some way, you find a way to keep them. And he was a game changer,” Johnson said.

“Without Micah, they picked up some draft picks, got a lot of salary cap money. They’re going to be able to add some players. So, Jerry made the right move for what it was, because they were at an impasse as far as Micah Parsons. If they make some improvements defensively, the Cowboys can make a run at it.”

"I didn't like the Micah Parsons trade at all..

I just don't think you get rid of game changing players and he's a game changer" @JimmyJohnson #PMSLive https://t.co/h5LyDB0N4C pic.twitter.com/0CKaok1WlN

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 28, 2026

Johnson made clear that although he likely wouldn’t have been willing to trade Parsons himself, he doesn’t fault Jones for getting a deal done once things reached the point of no return in terms of the relationship between the star defender and the Cowboys. Of course, Jones is at least partially responsible for that relationship souring and the ensuing breakup, due to his antics in contract negotiations when he attempted to bypass Parsons’s agent, David Mulugheta, and get the deal done without his input.

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