Former Nittany Lion Micah Parsons Traded to Green Bay Packers, Becomes Highest-Paid Non-QB in NFL History

Micah Parsons’ holdout has come to a conclusion.

The former Nittany Lion and current NFL star edge rusher was traded on Thursday from the Dallas Cowboys to the Green Bay Packers. In return, Green Bay sent back defensive tackle Kenny Clark, a three-time Pro Bowler, and two first-round draft picks.

In addition, Parsons has agreed to a 4-year $188 million contract extension, including $136 million guaranteed, securing his future with the Packers for the foreseeable future. The contract will make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league, surpassing Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase.

Parsons had been holding out of Dallas’ training camp leading up to the season, citing frustration with owner Jerry Jones about an inability to reach an agreement on an extension. The Cowboys exercised his fifth-year option, meaning 2025-26 was set to be his last season before hitting free agency.

According to a previous social media post from Parsons, Jones refused to negotiate with his agent, David Mulugheta, while Jones said he believed he and Parsons had already come to an agreement. Parsons, who grew up rooting for Dallas, said his relationship had become strained and he was no longer interested in playing for the franchise.

To celebrate the move, Parsons posted a video commemorating his four seasons in Dallas before transitioning to his future with the Packers. He included a statement thanking fans of the Cowboys, saying his time was “more than a dream, it was destiny.”

Parsons played at Penn State from 2018-2020, earning consensus All-American honors as a true sophomore before opting out of the 2020 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He entered the draft after just one season as a starter and was taken No. 12 overall by Dallas.

Since entering the league, Parsons has been named the 2021 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, a two-time first-team All-Pro and a four-time Pro Bowler.

Though Green Bay recently released quarterback Sean Clifford and cornerback Kalen King while cutting down to its 53-man roster, former Nittany Lion offensive tackle Rasheed Walker is still with the team. Walker played at Penn State from 2018-2021, overlapping with Parsons’ tenure in Happy Valley.