Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons has filed a grievance with the NFL over his official position designation in a move that could significantly impact his future salary.
The Cowboys’ star defensive player claims the league has incorrectly listed him as a defensive end rather than a linebacker, which could result in a potentially lower salary if Dallas uses the franchise tag, according to NBC Sports.
The distinction is not just about football terminology; the league uses positional listings as the determining factor in how much a player is paid under contract designations.
As a former first-round draft selection, Parsons received a five-year contract when he first entered the NFL, with the final year of that contract being a team option that would allow the Cowboys to determine whether he is on the team.
Dallas picked up that contract, and Parsons is now set to enter the final year of his contract in the 2025 season.
Compensation for the final year of this contract is generated using a combination of the player’s accolades and position, with certain positions receiving significantly larger contracts than others.
Parsons’ grievance stems from a claim that the Cowboys and NFL listed his position as defensive end, whereas he insists that he plays the linebacker position, according to NBC.
As a result, Parsons’ contract would be lower than if he were listed as a linebacker.
If listed as a defensive end, Parsons would receive a salary of $21.324 million.
On the other hand, Parsons could receive a salary of $24 million if he were to be listed as a linebacker.
The Cowboys have pointed to the formula used by the league to determine a player’s position, with an NFL spokesperson telling The Dallas Morning News that the league “will vigorously defend against this claim.”
Currently, there is no timeline for settling this grievance, despite the regular season starting in less than two weeks.
This grievance news has emerged as Parsons continues to negotiate a contract extension with the Cowboys, while also dealing with a back injury that has kept him sidelined for the team’s entire training camp.
Despite injury concerns, Dallas has determined that his back issues should not prevent him from being on the field, as the team recently decided that Parsons should be available to play.
“Yeah, again, there’s always a chance for more tests and things like that, but at this time we do [consider Parsons cleared for practice],” said Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer, per CBS Sports.
As a result, Parsons has reportedly left Dallas in an attempt to receive a second opinion on the severity of this injury, according to NFL Insider Jane Slater.
With the two sides disagreeing on the extent of Parsons’ back injury, there is no timetable for his availability as the team prepares to open the season against the Philadelphia Eagles on September 4.