Kevin Clark slams Jerry Jones after Cowboys' billionaire owner makes controversial comment on Micah Parsons

ESPN analyst Kevin Clark didn’t hold back when he aimed at Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. His remarks were not over-play-calling or cap space. In a biting commentary on ESPN's First Take on Tuesday, Clark accused Jones of prioritizing visibility over victory.

"If the football gods came down and said, 'Jerry, you get to win the next three Super Bowls ... but the catch is you can't do a press conference, you can't talk, you can't go in front of the cameras and make it about Jerry,'" Clark said. "He looks at the football god and he says, 'No deal.' The reason I know this is because he hasn't changed anything. He knows what the flaws in his organisation are, and yet he looks at it every year and says, 'You know what? This organisation needs a little more me, a little more me, a little more me every single year.'"

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The timing of Clark’s criticism couldn’t have been more pointed. Just a day earlier, Jones took the podium in Oxnard and stirred controversy with his commentary on contract negotiations involving Micah Parsons.

Last year, receiver CeeDee Lamb held out before getting a new deal. In 2023, guard Zack Martin did the same. Now, Parsons awaits his extension.

Micah Parsons retweets JJ Watt's criticism of Jerry Jones

Rather than offering clarity or support for one of the league’s top defensive talents, Jerry Jones opted for a confusing pivot, referencing old injuries, past deals and an anecdote involving Dak Prescott.

"Just because we sign him, doesn't mean we're going to have him," Jones told the media on Monday. "[Parsons] was hurt six games last year. Seriously. I remember signing a player for the highest-paid at the position in the league, and he got knocked out two-thirds of the year: Dak Prescott. There's a lot of things you can think about just as the player does when you're thinking committing and guaranteeing money."

JJ Watt slammed the logic on X.

"Anytime you can publicly take a dig at your star quarterback and your star pass rusher simultaneously, right before the season begins, you just gotta take it . . ." Watt wrote. "Nothing makes guys want to fight for you more than hearing how upset you are that they got hurt while fighting for you."

Micah Parsons, noticeably quiet in the media, retweeted JJ Watt’s post.

Behind the scenes, the Cowboys and Parsons remain locked in a quiet standoff. The All-Pro defender, entering the final year of his rookie contract, is at camp but with limited activity and no new deal in place.

With 52.5 sacks in four seasons, Parsons has made a compelling case for a record-setting extension. Yet Jones continues to insist there’s no urgency.

Edited by Ribin Peter