Seemingly everyday, Stephen A. Smith is saying something about the Dallas Cowboys. That continued on Monday, when the ESPN media star dropped arguably his most bizarre take yet. That may seem like a tall task considering everything he’s ever said, but this is a new high, or low; however you want to look at it.
During a segment on First Take, Molly Qerim read Micah Parsons’ latest comments about how the Cowboys waiting to extend him is only costing the team more money. Qerim then asked Smith if he was surprised the franchise is doing this again, and he immediately responded no, arguing that Dallas doesn’t always make the wisest decisions. A subtle jab at the franchise was to be expected. Smith’s next words, however, is when things really went off the rails.
The commentator went on to say the current situation isn’t solely Jerry Jones’ fault. According to Smith, Parsons is also at fault for not having a contract because he previously expressed he wants to remain in Dallas long term and that there wasn’t a rush to get a deal done, emboldening Jones to take his time.
Stephen A. Smith blames Micah Parsons for not having an extension
Again, Smith is arguing that because the veteran defensive end made it clear how happy he is with the Cowboys, he deserves some blame for not having a contract yet. That doesn’t even sound right. Was Parsons just supposed to mope around and demand a new contract the very second he was eligible for an extension? Since when did expressing commitment absolve others of returning that commitment?
Additionally, Parsons has made it clear that the wait is beneficial to him. He has already seen Myles Garrett, Danielle Hunter, and Maxx Crosby get new deals this offseason, and Trey Hendrickson and T.J. Watt are on the verge of extensions. Every deal that gets done before his adds another digit to his inevitable market-setting contract, so why should he be in a hurry?
Like head coach Brian Schottenheimer said, Parsons has been handling this situation perfectly. The onus to get a deal done is on the Cowboys, and they shoulder all of the blame for why one isn’t complete yet.
