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Morning Edition

August 29, 2025

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The Cowboys stunned the NFL world by trading Micah Parsons to the Packers on Thursday, with Parsons signing a historic contract to go along with the deal. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones then compared Parsons to Herschel Walker, whose trade helped build the team’s dynasty in the 1990s.

— Or Moyal [[link removed]], Eric Fisher [[link removed]], David Rumsey [[link removed]], and Colin Salao [[link removed]]

Micah Parsons Traded to Packers, Set to Sign Record 4-Year, $188M Deal [[link removed]]

Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images

After a contentious contract standoff with Cowboys owner and GM Jerry Jones, Micah Parsons has been traded to the Packers.

ESPN was the first to report the deal [[link removed]].

Parsons will reportedly sign a four-year, $188 million deal with Green Bay, the largest contract ever for a non-quarterback. The $47 million average annual value is well above the $40.5 million per year Jones reportedly offered Parsons in March, a deal the Cowboys owner says Parsons agreed to before later asking him to speak with his agent.

In return, the Cowboys will receive two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark, according to multiple reports.

Clark, a first-round pick out of UCLA in 2016, has logged nine NFL seasons with the Packers and totaled 35 career sacks. He signed a three-year, $64 million contract last season.

Before Parsons agreed to his deal, Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt had the highest average annual value for any non-QB, at $41 million. Parsons resets the market at the position by a substantial margin.

Parsons’s 52 sacks through four seasons are the most for any player since J.J. Watt, and the sixth-most in NFL history.

Parsons posted a statement to social media after reports of the trade emerged. It reads, in part: [[link removed]]

“I never wanted this chapter to end, but not everything was in my control. My heart has always been here, and it still is. Through it all, I never made any demands. I never asked for anything more than fairness. I only asked that the person I trust to negotiate my contract be part of the process.”

In a Thursday night press conference, Jones said that the Cowboys had been considering a trade of Parsons since the spring. “We did think it was in the best interest for our organization for the future and this season as well,” Jones said. “I did make Micah an offer. It wasn’t acceptable. I honored the fact that it wasn’t done the way that he wanted to do it, through an agent.

“A little bit of the way Herschel Walker may have had his greatest contribution to the Cowboys [when he was traded in 1989], what he brought to us when he left could be a tremendous thing for our fans and the success of this team,” Jones said.

The Packers have a reputation as a team that does not spend significantly on outside players, generally prioritizing their own draft picks. They have, however, made two other enormous additions in the past.

In 1993, famed edge rusher Reggie White signed a four-year, $17 million deal with the Packers, becoming the most significant player to change teams in the early free agency era. Green Bay ended up winning Super Bowl XXXI three years later.

In 2006, the Packers added defensive back Charles Woodson on a seven-year, $52 million contract. He made four All-Pro teams with the team, and Green Bay won the Super Bowl in 2011.

Per Spotrac, the Cowboys freed up $19 million through this deal and now have the second-most cap space in the NFL behind the Patriots.

Dallas is going through a dramatic year, as the NBA’s Mavericks stunned the sports world by trading Luka Doncic to the Lakers in February. The NHL’s Stars, however, decided to pile on to the news cycle with some levity, posting [[link removed]] “Don’t worry y’all, Mikko Rantanen is a Dallas Star.”

SPONSORED BY BURSON GLOBAL

TEDSports: Your Essential Guide

TEDSports Indianapolis [[link removed]] kicks off Sept. 9–11 with three days of talks and experiences that bring sports and ideas to life.

Day 1 features Paul “Triple H” Levesque, plus a welcome reception or the opportunity to attend an Indiana Fever game.

Day 2 spotlights Gilberto Silva, the Pit Stop Challenge with Tony Kanaan and Arrow McLaren, the Future of Women’s Sports, and experiences with Kerri Walsh Jennings and Stephen Hauschka.

Day 3 includes NCAA president Charlie Baker, Tamika Catchings, mental health discussions with Kalen Jackson and Hope Stevens (Solo), and the chance to shoot hoops at Knightstown Gym (location for the Hoosiers film).

Evenings feature dinners, gatherings, and speaker meetups [[link removed]]. Bring curiosity and comfortable shoes—you’ll be on your feet experiencing the future [[link removed]], not just hearing about it.

Fox, YouTube TV Reach Deal, Avoiding CFB Blackout [[link removed]]

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Fox and YouTube TV have completed a full carriage deal, ending a dispute that had threatened to mar the start of the college and pro football seasons.

The network and Google-owned streaming service said late Thursday they finalized the master agreement, advancing beyond a short-term contract extension [[link removed]] struck the previous day. The pact keeps Fox programming on the No. 4 U.S. pay-TV distributor, with an estimated 9.4 million subscribers.

“We’re happy to share that we’ve reached an agreement with Fox to keep their content on YouTube TV, preserve the value of our service for our subscribers, and offer more flexibility in the future,” YouTube TV said in a statement. “This means that Fox channels, including the Fox broadcast network, Fox News, and Fox Sports, remain available for our subscribers along with 100+ channels and football fans will not miss any of the action this weekend.”

That comment particularly references the upcoming college football mega-clash set for Saturday between No. 1 Texas and No. 3 and defending national champion Ohio State.

Terms of the agreement were not immediately available. The two sides had disagreed about proposed fees for Fox programming, with the network alleged to be seeking “payments that are far higher than what partners with comparable content offerings receive,” according to YouTube TV. The network countered that “Google continually exploits its outsized influence by proposing terms that are out of step with the marketplace.”

Distribution disputes such as this have become an annual tradition [[link removed]] marking the start of college and pro football season, with this matter following a separate battle between ESPN parent Disney and Charter Communications [[link removed]] two years ago, and another between Disney and DirecTV last year [[link removed]].

The latest one, however, drew close attention from Federal Communications Commission chairman Brendan Carr, who weighed in on the situation [[link removed]] and publicly called on Google to strike a deal.

Within minutes of the announcement of the larger deal Thursday night, Carr praised the resolution.

“I’m very pleased that Google and Fox have now reached a deal,” he said in a social media post [[link removed]]. “This is great news for college football fans and avoids blackouts. Enjoy the games this weekend!”

YouTube TV’s situation with Fox also resembled a separate dispute last spring with CBS Sports parent Paramount, one in which a short-term extension also preceded a larger agreement [[link removed]].

SPONSORED BY HOKA

Lotti Brinks Preps for CCC

Ultra trail runner Lotti Brinks [[link removed]] is preparing for one of the sport’s most challenging events: the CCC (Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix), a 100-kilometer race through Italy, Switzerland, and France. The German-born, Boise-based athlete placed ninth last year and is aiming higher in 2025.

Brinks, who balances a full-time job and a custom design studio, trains up to 110 miles a week [[link removed]], pairing running with mountain biking and strength work. She credits both physical and mental preparation as key to reaching the podium.

Her go-to shoe for training and race day: the HOKA Mafate 5 [[link removed]], built to handle the technical climbs and descents that define the CCC. Read the full story here [[link removed]].

Coach Prime Enters Year 3 at Colorado With New Challenges [[link removed]]

Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Colorado kicks off its 2025 college football season in prime time Friday against Georgia Tech, as head coach Deion Sanders looks to keep the momentum going in Boulder—on and off the field—after losing his top two players, signing a record contract extension, and beating cancer this offseason.

This marks Year 3 of the Coach Prime era for Colorado, which is 13–12 since Sanders took over. The Pro Football Hall of Famer signed a five-year, $54 million extension [[link removed]] in March that makes him one of the highest-paid coaches in college football.

Former stars Travis Hunter, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner, and quarterback Shedeur Sanders, Deion’s son, are no longer on the Colorado roster after being drafted to the NFL. The Buffaloes aren’t ranked to start the season, but four of their first five games are still set for national TV on either ESPN or Fox. Colorado was the most-watched team in the Big 12 during its first season back in the conference a year ago.

Colorado has sold out of football season tickets for the third consecutive year, and Friday’s season opener at 50,000-seat Folsom Field is completely sold out (two of Colorado’s seven home games are sold out). The 2023 season, the debut campaign for Sanders, marked the first time Colorado sold completely out of football tickets, which did not occur in 2024.

Sanders was away from the football team for most of the offseason, as he had his bladder removed after being diagnosed with cancer [[link removed]]. Last month, Sanders and his doctors said he was in good health and cleared to coach the entire season.

Last season, Colorado was in the College Football Playoff picture [[link removed]] in late November before a loss to Kansas knocked it out of the Big 12 championship game.

FRONT OFFICE SPORTS NETWORK

From Unrecruited to Big Ten QB

In this episode of Next Up with Adam Breneman, he sits down with Drake Lindsey, Minnesota’s starting quarterback for the 2025 season. Lindsey opens up about his journey from Fayetteville, Ark., to Minneapolis, the moment he knew he was a Golden Gopher, and what it’s really like playing for coach P.J. Fleck.

He breaks down his development behind Max Brosmer, the importance of NIL (name, image, and likeness), and why it’s not his focus, how he’s building chemistry with star running back Darius Taylor, and what his “why” is as he prepares to lead the Gophers into a new era.

Watch the full Next Up episode here [[link removed]].

Conversation Starters Frances Tiafoe said he was approached by parents who told him that he saved their kid’s life. “We’re not just playing tennis. We’re inspiring people,” Tiafoe said. Take a look [[link removed]]. Grimsby Town, a club in English soccer’s fourth tier, shocked Manchester United by knocking it out of the Carabao Cup. Its goalkeeper joked he was “a little bit” mad because he’s a Manchester United fan. Check it out [[link removed]]. Three undrafted rookies made the Ravens’ 53-man roster. Watch [[link removed]] how GM Eric DeCosta surprised each of them with the news. EVENT

On Sept. 16, Front Office Sports will bring the biggest names in sports media to The Times Center in Manhattan for Year 2 of Tuned In [[link removed]] presented by Elevate.

This daylong event will feature insightful conversations with a star-studded lineup including three commissioners, five on-air talents, and six top network executives, with more to be announced.

This is an event you won’t want to miss. Get your ticket now [[link removed]].

Editors’ Picks Selig Backs MLB Salary Cap, but Warns Against Labor Fight [[link removed]]by Eric Fisher [[link removed]]The league’s former commissioner cites salary-cap success in other leagues. Mark Cuban on Why NBA Expansion Isn’t Imminent [[link removed]]by Colin Salao [[link removed]]Cuban said the next CBA could help solve some expansion issues. Dawn Staley Says She Would Have Left South Carolina for Knicks [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]Staley says she would have made the NBA leap “for women.” Manchester United Knocked Out of Cup by Team With $2.6 Million Payroll [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]United’s team payroll is almost 100 times larger than Grimsby’s. Question of the Day

Do you think a salary cap would help make Major League Baseball even more competitive?

YES [[link removed]] NO [[link removed]]

Thursday’s result: 42% of respondents would buy a 1-day streaming bundle.

Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Events [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Shows [[link removed]] Written by Or Moyal [[link removed]], Eric Fisher [[link removed]], David Rumsey [[link removed]], Colin Salao [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]], Or Moyal [[link removed]], Catherine Chen [[link removed]]

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