While Micah Parsons’ time with the Dallas Cowboys hasn’t officially ended, owner Jerry Jones seems to be already prepared to write him off from the team. Parsons is just the latest valuable player that seems prepared to walk away, which isn’t a surprise. Jones is known for trying to keep hold of good talent, but he’s also quick to kick out a player he thinks is too old or unnecessary, constantly looking for the high of another Super Bowl win.
While the Cowboys continue to call themselves “America’s team”, it’s been a while since they’ve won a Super Bowl or even moved through the conference playoffs. The last time Dallas made a name for itself was in 1996 when it won Super Bowl XXX. While the team looks for more success, the loss of four major teammates during Jones’s ownership might be the reason that the team hasn’t seen success in almost 30 years.
Larry Allen started with the Cowboys in 1994 and helped take the team to its last Super Bowl in 1996. He got ten Pro Bowls during his career with Dallas. He was a team favorite up until his last season in 2005, when Bill Parcells decided he had played past his usefulness. Allen was picked up by the San Francisco 49ers during the next season and proved Parcells wrong. Allen made the Pro Bowl during the 2006 season and was signed as an alternate in 2007. He broke the team’s single-season rushing record and franchise record, with a yardage of over 2,000.
One of the last great players during the Cowboys’ Tom Landry era was one of the first players whom Jones made the mistake of letting go. Everson Walls was signed as an undrafted free agent in 1981. Before Jones bought the team, Walls had been given the Pro Bowl honors four times. That success came even as the team struggled to win a conference championship and a Super Bowl after their success in 1972 and 1978. He was officially waived in 1989 and still holds the second-most interceptions with the team at 44.
Walls joined the New York Giants in 1990 and started calling most of the defensive calls for the team. He went on to win Super Bowl XXV during his first season with the Giants. Walls was critical to that win, after tackling Thurman Thomas and stopping a touchdown for the Buffalo Bills that would have led to a win.
DeMarcus Ware is an example of another former Cowboy who left and won a Super Bowl. Ware went to Dallas in 2005 and still holds records with the team, including the all-time leader in sacks. He led the league in sacks in 2008 and 2010 and is considered by many as one of the best linebackers in the team’s history. Unlike many other players being pushed out for younger talent, Ware was a casualty of the salary cap. Jones and management cut the former first-round pick, and he was picked up by the Denver Broncos.
After joining the Broncos in 2014, Ware continued his years of success, receiving more Pro Bowl Honors and top player designations. He went on to play in Super Bowl 50 against the Carolina Panthers in 2016, winning 21 to 20.
Emmitt Smith was drafted by the Cowboys in 1990 and was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, getting Pro Bowl honors. He set several records with the team and was the first player to win the league’s rushing title and the Super Bowl in the same season in 1992. Public contract negotiations kept him out of the first two games in 1993. Jones came to a deal with him after the team lost some obvious strength.
Smith’s time with the team ended in 2003 when Jones and Parcells decided to seek younger, cheaper talent. While the move gave Dallas a lot of money, it also meant they lost Smith during one of his last and best years. He carried 357 times for almost 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also threw his first and only halfback pass for a 21-yard touchdown.
It’s still unclear if Parsons will choose to leave the Cowboys, but no matter the final decision, it doesn’t seem like he wants to stay. A recent post on social media showed his frustration with the franchise and Jones in particular. He is known for trying to negotiate publicly and with players directly, something that some people argue is against the Collective Bargaining Agreement. It seems that the NFL doesn’t care about his actions, allowing him to do what he pleases to keep and release players.
As for Parsons, it’s still unclear what his future will look like. It’s completely on theme from the team, who have done the same thing with other, more recent players like Zack Martin and CeeDee Lamb. No matter the final decision, it would be a mistake to get rid of Parsons, even if he’s pushing for a trade; however, one thing that Jones is good at is looking like a fool.
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