Packers' Micah Parsons says he expects applause from Cowboys fans in his return to Dallas

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GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Micah Parsons says he expects to get a warm reception from Dallas Cowboys fans Sunday night when the superstar edge rusher faces his former team for the first time since the Green Bay Packers acquired him.

“I think Dallas loves me,” Parsons said Wednesday. “I think they’re going to give me a good round of applause. There’s no hard feelings there, at least from me.”

Parsons attempted to downplay Sunday night’s matchup as much as he possibly could, considering his contract dispute with the Cowboys (1-2) and subsequent trade to Green Bay was one of the biggest NFL stories of the summer.

The Packers (2-1) sent three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark and their 2026 and 2027 first-round picks to Dallas in the Aug. 28 trade that got them Parsons, who had 52 1/2 sacks in four seasons with the Cowboys. Green Bay gave Parsons a four-year, $188 million contract with $136 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

Now he’s back at AT&T Stadium for one night trying to help the Packers beat his old team. Parsons figures to get plenty of cheers from at least one section of the stadium, since he still owns a suite that will be filled Sunday with his friends and relatives.

“I just feel like it’s just going to be another game for me,” Parsons said. “Obviously got a lot of ties there, but I think the atmosphere is going to be great. I kind of know what a (Dallas)-Green Bay game looks like — and I know the fanbase is going to be pretty rowdy, so I’m just excited for a competitive matchup in Sunday night prime football.”

Parsons had at least 12 sacks each of his four seasons in Dallas. He has 1 1/2 sacks his first three games in Green Bay, and the attention he gets from opposing offenses creates opportunities for all the Packers’ other pass rushers.

For instance, Rashan Gary has an NFL-leading 4 1/2 sacks in his first season as Parsons’ teammate.

Parsons still keeps in touch with plenty of Cowboys.

He says he checks in with cornerback Trevon Diggs at least once a week and that he recently tried to boost the spirits of wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who left the Cowboys' 31-14 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday with a high ankle sprain.

Speaking earlier this week about this matchup, Parsons noted how sacking Dak Prescott would be “painful” because he considers the Dallas quarterback a mentor.

One person he hasn't communicated with lately is Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

“I never even heard from Jerry Jones himself when I got traded," Parsons said. "I found out through my agent. I haven’t talked to Jerry Jones since like, what OTAs (organized team activities)? It’s just one of those things.”

Jones said this week the Cowboys didn't plan to have any sort of video tribute to Parsons on Sunday and indicated it wouldn't be appropriate.

Parsons was asked Wednesday what he thought about Jones' comment.

“There’s a lot of things I can consider disrespectful throughout this process, but I wouldn’t say the (lack of a) tribute is one of them,” Parsons said. “I would say, I just think there’s hard feelings maybe there for them, but for me, I’m happy where I’m at and we got a really good football team, so I guess I can (receive) my tribute in a win, I hope.”

Parsons had kinder words for Dallas' offensive linemen. Parsons said they were “like brothers to me” and talked about the way he took them under his wing.

“It’s funny because I spent all training camp helping these guys and teaching them how to block me, just things like that,” Parsons said.

Cowboys left tackle Tyler Guyton says Parsons did indeed help him quite a bit.

“I kind of looked up to him for guidance, and he showed me a lot,” Guyton said. “We battled a little bit, and got better from it.”

They'll be battling again Sunday with much more at stake. And once the game kicks off, Parsons believes all the talk surrounding his messy exit from Dallas will fade to the background.

“Once the game (starts), ain’t no one talking about the trade,” Parsons said. “We’re talking about winning the football game.”

NOTES: G Aaron Banks (groin), S Javon Bullard (concussion) and OT Zach Tom (oblique) didn't practice Wednesday. ... The Packers signed G/C Lecitus Smith to their practice squad.

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AP Pro Football Writers Schuyler Dixon and Rob Maaddi contributed to this report.

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