Dak Prescott responds to Cowboys’ trade of Micah Parsons: ‘It got personal’

FRISCO — Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said he was surprised, but then again, not completely surprised, at the trade of star pass rusher Micah Parsons to the Packers.

Prescott hoped Parsons would remain with the Cowboys with a new contract.

Instead, the Cowboys sent Parsons to the Packers for two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark.

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“Yeah I was. I can’t say I was completely surprised. But I definitely didn’t think he was going to get traded, I’ll say that,” Prescott said. “But just with the way that negotiations went down, obviously to some extent, I mean, hell, y’all were asking me questions, it seemed like it got personal on their ends. So that’s why I wasn’t surprised.”

Prescott, the highest-paid player in the NFL with an average salary of $60 million, said the addition of Clark, a three-time Pro Bowl player, was a boost. But the Cowboys need to perform to make the trading of one of the top pass rushers in the league work.

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“I mean, we added a great player,” he said. “Obviously got some picks for the future. I’m not going to say we’re better. We’ve got to go out there and prove it. We had to prove it even if he was on this team, so I’m not going to say that by any means. But I know what adding a guy like Kenny Clark, adding a true leader, a real man that’s going to only elevate this team, who’s been a Pro Bowl player and is excited about being here.”

With the Parsons situation resolved, it’s a sense of relief to the Cowboys, who can concentrate fully on playing football over wondering if he would play in the season opener against the Eagles.

After the final preseason game, on Aug. 22 against Atlanta, the tenor of the situation changed drastically between Parsons and the front office. Parsons lay down on a training table during the Falcons game, which prompted a nearly hourlong discussion with coach Brian Schottenheimer the next day.

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On Aug. 28, after reports surfaced that the Cowboys were seriously listening to offers for Parsons, he was dealt.

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With the situation resolved, the Cowboys can move on.

“Yeah, for sure,” Prescott said. “I mean if nothing would’ve been done, we’d sit here and y’all still would’ve been asking me whether he was playing in a couple days or when he was going to be playing. That would have been a lot more of a headache and distraction then getting a solution to it.”

Twitter: @calvinwatkins

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