Despite pulling off a seismic trade for a superstar days before Week 1, the Green Bay Packers have very few issues to worry about after acquiring Micah Parsons. A generational player like him should slot in perfectly to a defense with a strong leader in Jeff Hafley and a clear identity, making any transition pretty seamless.
Still, this hasn't stopped Parsons' old employer from trying to diminish his talent and make it appear like Green Bay is a possible loser in this deal. Yet, this trashing of the new Packers pass-rusher should actually be seen as one last gift from the Cowboys as part of this trade.
According to @AlbertBreer, Micah Parsons' podcast created issues within the Dallas Cowboys locker room "that go all the way up to quarterback Dak Prescott."
— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) August 30, 2025
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Soon after the swap was official, Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer published a report behind Dallas' motivations. Included were various attempts to pour dirt on Parsons' name, with mentions of him being "egotistical and self-centered," creating issues with former QB Dak Prescott due to his podcast, and complaints about the Penn State product ignoring the scheme to "make big plays."
This is very obviously the Cowboys' front office trying to paint Parsons in an ugly light after he forced his way out. Yet, it's also something that benefits Green Bay in a variety ways.
First and foremost, this should give an unhappy Parsons even more fuel to perform in 2025. He is an absolute game-wrecker, but he also just locked down the richest deal of a pass-rusher in NFL history. There's no shortage of examples of guys taking their foot off the gas after cashing in. But Parsons now has a status to uphold given his contract, and Dallas' remarks offer further motivation to remain one of the league's best at any position.
Even though the Cowboys are clearly emotional over Parsons' exit, there's likely some truth to these concerns. Given he's one of the NFL's most outspoken stars who takes full advantage of his platform, it's no surprise that he has rubbed some teammates the wrong way.
Yet, this then serves as a legitimately useful heads-up from Dallas on how Green Bay should manage Parsons' off-field impact. It's much easier for the Packers to prepare solutions to avoid any of these issues from repeating themselves in the green and gold, rather than discovering them on the fly.
Matt LaFleur can task certain veteran players with showing Parsons Green Bay's standard, ensuring he holds himself to that, instead of causing friction by doing things differently. Members of the staff will also surely keep a closer eye on any media Parsons does away from the team and make it clear what territory to avoid.
Considering how much of a circus the Cowboys have become, it's no wonder Parsons may have lacked wise guidance from previous leaders. Green Bay is much better suited to help the star improve his rep and grow as a force in the locker room, too.