"It's just a hot mess" - Damien Woody blasts Jerry Jones’ old-school tactics 6 days after Micah Parsons' trade request following contract standoff

ESPN's Damien Woody has made his feelings clear on the issues between Micah Parsons and the Dallas Cowboys.

Parsons requested a trade on Aug. 1 after no progress was made with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on a new contract. Parsons said he had met with Jones earlier in the offseason to discuss leadership issues, and claimed that the owner had initiated contract talks without the linebacker's agent present.

Jones said on Wednesday that he believed he had a "handshake" agreement in place with Parsons.

On "Get Up" on Thursday, Woody, a two-time Super Bowl-winning offensive lineman, criticized Jones for the way in which he had conducted negotiations.

"It's just a hot mess," Woody said. "We have to understand who Jerry Jones is — a Hall of Fame marketer with a flair for theatrics. This whole contract, the handshake talk, it's nonsense. Micah Parsons has an agent; go to his agent. What does a handshake mean in 2025? If there was a deal, verify it with the agent. If not, none of it matters."

After Parsons and Jones' meeting in March, the linebacker said his agent would handle negotiations, while Jones believed negotiations had concluded.

“I bought the Cowboys with a handshake," Jones said on Wednesday. "It took about 30 seconds. I gave the number, shook hands, the details we worked out later. The fundamental 'I'm buying and you're going to sell it to me for that range,' that's done and those are done with eye contact and handshakes. Just so you understand the way that I communicate with people that I negotiate with."

Dallas has made it clear that it has no intention of dealing away Parsons, and Jones has expressed his belief that the trade request is simply a negotiation tactic by the former first-round pick.

Micah Parsons officially requests to be traded from the Dallas Cowboys

NFL: Dallas Cowboys Training Camp - Source: Imagn

Amidst the ongoing contract dispute with Dallas, Parsons confirmed on social media on Aug. 1 that he had submitted a trade request to the Jones family.

"Yes I wanted to be here. I did everything I could to show that I wanted to be a Cowboy and wear the star on my helmet. I wanted to play in front of the best fans in sports and make this America's team once again. The team my pops and I grew up cheering for way up in Harrisburg, PA.

"Unfortunately I no longer want to be here. I no longer want to be held to close door negotiations without my agent present. I no longer want shots taken at me for getting injured while laying it on the line for the organization, our fans and my teammates. I no longer want narratives created and spread to the media about me."

Parsons continues to participate in the Cowboys' training camp despite his trade request, avoiding potential fines for holding out completely.

It will be interesting to see if Dallas and Parsons come to an agreement before the 2025 NFL season kicks off.