It’s still hard to believe the Dallas Cowboys traded Micah Parsons just before Week 1. Since entering the league, Parsons has been arguably the most dominant defensive player in football—and at just 26 years old, he’s only beginning to hit his prime. Unsurprisingly, he's already making a major impact in Green Bay, exactly as expected.
The prevailing opinion is that the Cowboys made a huge mistake by trading Parsons. It’s hard to argue otherwise. Only Reggie White (70) had more sacks in his first four NFL seasons (52.5), and Parsons didn’t even become a full-time pass rusher until Week 2 of his rookie year. Before that, he played as a running back and off-ball linebacker. That goes to show how special an athlete Parsons is, which is why he's so highly regarded in league circles.
But not everyone believes Dallas got it wrong. In fact, one Cowboys legend and Hall of Famer believes the Cowboys had no choice.
DeMarcus Ware says Cowboys made the right call
DeMarcus Ware knows what it feels like to leave the Dallas Cowboys. He spent nine seasons in Dallas, earning seven Pro Bowl selections. But after four straight seasons without a playoff appearance, the Cowboys released him in a cap-saving move that was hated by the fans and the media. The Cowboys were in no-man's land and decided to let a Hall of Fame talent leave for greener pastures.
Ware then signed with the Denver Broncos, where he went on to win a Super Bowl in 2015. Ware was able to end his career playing opposite Von Miller, while the Cowboys quickly rebuilt their team with the added cap space and went 12-4 during the 2014 season and then 13-3 in 2016.
Ware knows how tough it can be to leave a place like Dallas. But also understand the business side of things in the NFL. In an exclusive interview with FanSided, Ware shared his thoughts on the Parsons trade—and his take was surprisingly supportive of the Cowboys' decision.
"“If [Micah] would have stayed... were the Dallas Cowboys going to win a Super Bowl? I would say no. So let/s do what we need to do.”"DeMarcus Ware on Micah Parsons trade
It’s never easy to trade away a generational talent, especially one entering his prime. But the reality is that paying Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Parsons a combined $140+ million per year over the next several seasons likely wasn’t a sustainable formula for championship success. Once Prescott and Lamb inked their new deals before the 2024 season, something had to give. Unfortunately, it was Parsons who became the odd man out despite being the best player of the three.
Parsons could follow Ware's path to a ring — and Canton
There’s a strong chance Parsons ends up following in Ware’s footsteps—winning a Super Bowl ring and eventually earning a spot in the Hall of Fame. He's already on a generational pace, and the Packers certainly look like the team to beat in the NFC. And while it will hurt for Cowboys fans to hear it, it was probably the right decision for Parsons, just like it was the right move for Ware.
These are the tough business decisions that define the NFL. For all of Parsons' brilliance, the Cowboys needed to look at the bigger picture. They never had a question about the talent, but the idea of three players taking up 40 percent of the cap for the Cowboys in 2026 and beyond just never made sense.
And that brings us to the harsh truth: the Cowboys haven’t been to a Super Bowl in 30 years. They haven't made an NFC Championship Game during that time, either. Sticking with the same formula and expecting a different result wasn’t going to work. As Ware implies, at some point, you have to break the cycle. This was their best chance to reset their timeline with Prescott and give themselves more flexibility in the future.
Losing Micah Parsons is a painful blow for Cowboys fans. It will sting even more if he leads Green Bay to a Super Bowl in the near future. But if you ask someone who’s lived through a similar moment—DeMarcus Ware—the move wasn’t just understandable. It was necessary.