The Dallas Cowboys’ trade of tremendous outside linebacker/edge rusher Micah — or Michael, as owner Jerry Jones often refers to him — Parsons to the Green Bay Packers for first-round NFL Draft choices in both 2026 and ‘27 and a defensive tackle named Kenny Clark on Thursday, just a week before the regular season is set to begin, shocked the pro football world.
What in Jerry’s world was he thinking?
Yikes!
This is the same Jerry Jones who fleeced the Minnesota Vikings by trading running back Herschel Walker in 1989 to give the Cowboys draft picks they used to build their dynasty in the 1990s. It was the subject of an ESPN “30 for 30” documentary entitled, “The Great Trade Robbery.” At some point, The Worldwide Leader may put together another “30 for 30,” with Jones being the victim this time, called “The Great Cheese Curdle.”
It was also in 1989 that the Browns, regrettably, made a big trade with the then Washington Redskins in which they exchanged running backs, giving up Earnest Byner for Mike Oliphant. Byner did — a whole lot — to help Washington win the Super Bowl following the 1991 season. Oliphant did a little —rushing for a touchdown — to help the Browns deal the host Pittsburgh Steelers what is still their most lopsided defeat ever, 51-0, before disappearing off the face of the earth.
Ugh.
General Manager Ernie Accorsi made a lot of great moves during his time with the Browns. This was not one of them, and that’s a vast understatement. It was a robbery, too, and tore the heart out of the Browns emotionally. They still made the AFC Championship Game against the Denver Broncos for the third time in four seasons that year, thus ending their great run through the last half of the 1980s, but on this occasion, it wasn’t another hard-fought classic but rather a rout in Bud Carson’s first year as head coach.
Just like the Cowboys’ trade of Parsons, the Browns’ dealing of Byner was wrought with emotion and frustration on both sides, based in no small part on Cleveland’s inability to get to the Super Bowl.
Being frustrated and emotional is not a good state of mind when making a trade. Accorsi should have known better. Ditto for Jerry Jones.
Steve King
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