Cowboys and Packers tie in historic overtime shootout on Sunday night

If an NFL game is going to finish in a tie, it might as well be the second-highest-scoring tie in the history of the league.

That’s what happened in the Week 4 edition of ‘Sunday Night Football,’ with the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys finishing the back-and-forth affair deadlocked in a 40-40 tie.

Packers kicker Brandon McManus sealed the game’s fate with a 34-yard field goal as time expired in the extra period. It capped a 13-play, 64-yard drive Green Bay strung together to follow up on the Cowboys’ 76-yard field goal drive to open overtime.

Former Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons had a mostly quiet night, but his first sack of the game came at a big time. He dragged down his former teammate, quarterback Dak Prescott, behind the line of scrimmage to save a touchdown near the halfway point in overtime. It was Parsons’ first solo tackle of the game and his second sack of the season.

Here’s a full look at what happened on Sunday night. USA TODAY Sports provided updates for the Cowboys vs. Packers game on Sunday night below:

Watch Cowboys vs. Packers live with Fubo (free trial)

Cowboys vs Packers instant takeaways

• George Pickens steps up in the absence of CeeDee Lamb: Maybe George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb were right when they dubbed themselves as two No. 1 wide receivers in the offseason. Pickens joined the Cowboys from the Pittsburgh Steelers in a May 7 trade, which immediately raised questions about how he’d fit into a passing offense that already featured Lamb as a clear-cut lead receiver. Well, with Lamb sidelined in Week 4 with a high ankle sprain, Pickens stepped up. His eight-catch, 134-yard, two-touchdown night gave the Cowboys every reason to believe their offense will be just fine, even without Lamb.
• Dallas kept Micah Parsons in check: The Cowboys had a plan for Parsons. The former Dallas edge-rusher had a mostly quiet night in the box score with zero solo tackles and zero sacks in regulation. The Cowboys’ offensive line was double-teaming Parsons all night and managed to keep their quarterback clean until overtime. In the extra period, Parsons made a touchdown-saving tackle from behind Prescott on an attempted scramble in the Packers’ goal-line stand. There were pressures from Parsons, to be sure, but his one sack nearly didn’t count as a sack, and that’s a win for Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones and his team’s offense.
• Green Bay has a lot to improve to be a contender: Matt LaFleur’s clock management and struggles in the red zone continued. The Packers nearly lost the game by running out of time at the end of a 10-minute overtime period. They were, frankly, lucky that Jordan Love’s final pass attempt hit a defender with one second left and gave McManus a chance to kick his game-tying field goal as time expired. Without that small bit of luck, the Packers would be staring down a two-game losing streak and a 2-2 record through four weeks.

Micah Parsons stats vs Cowboys

• 3 total tackles
• 1 solo tackle
• 1 sack
• 3 quarterback hits

Romeo Doubs stats vs Cowboys

• 8 targets
• 6 receptions
• 58 yards
• 3 touchdowns

Jordan Love stats vs Cowboys

• 31-of-43 (72.1%) completion rate
• 337 yards
• 3 touchdowns
• 118.1 passer rating
• 3 rush attempts for 28 yards

Dak Prescott stats vs Packers

• 31-of-40 (77.5%) completion rate
• 319 yards
• 3 touchdowns
• 124.9 passer rating
• 1 rush attempt for 2 yards and a touchdown

Kenny Clark stats vs Packers

• 2 total tackles
• 1 solo tackle
• 1 quarterback hit

George Pickens stats vs Packers

• 11 targets
• 8 receptions
• 134 yards
• 2 touchdowns

Cowboys vs Packers highlights

Cowboys vs Packers final score: Packers 40, Cowboys 40

Cowboys vs Packers score: Brandon McManus knocks field goal through to tie in overtime

Jordan Love’s 3rd-and-14 throw fell incomplete with one second left on the clock, and McManus knocked through a 34-yard field goal as time expired to complete the tie.

Trevon Diggs blows up screen pass

The Packers tried a quick throw on 1st-and-10 from the Cowboys’ 15-yard line.

Diggs had other plans for the play, tackling Matthew Golden behind the line of scrimmage for a two-yard loss and forcing the Packers to call their final timeout.

Packers convert on crucial fourth down in overtime

Green Bay faced a 4th-and-6 play that it needed to convert to avoid a loss.

Quarterback Jordan Love found rookie first-rounder Matthew Golden sitting in a hole in zone coverage and zipped a pass over the middle. Golden completed the catch for a first down that extended the Packers’ drive.

Green Bay made it into Dallas territory ahead of the two-minute warning in overtime. A touchdown would win the game, and a field goal would likely result in a tie.

The Cowboys lead, 40-37, with two minutes left in overtime.

Cowboys vs Packers score: Brandon Aubrey puts Cowboys ahead

Dallas wasn’t able to score a touchdown in its first overtime possession despite starting a set of downs at the Packers’ 5-yard line after Tolbert’s big catch.

Aubrey made sure the Cowboys came away with some points as he knocked through a 22-yard field goal.

The Cowboys lead, 40-37, with 4:40 left in overtime. Aubrey’s great kickoff pinned the Packers back at their own 20-yard line to begin their first overtime drive.

Micah Parsons tallies his first sack against former team

Parsons’ first sack against the Cowboys could not have come at a better time for the Packers.

Cowboys quarterback Prescott appeared to break free from pressure with a scramble to his left side with a route to the end zone open in front of him, four yards away. Parsons chased down his former teammate from behind to record his first sack of the game, holding Prescott to no gain and saving a touchdown.

Prescott completes unreal, 34-yard fadeaway throw in overtime

The Cowboys’ quarterback is coming through in the clutch on Sunday night.

Facing pressure from former teammate Micah Parsons and defensive lineman Colby Wooden, Prescott slung a deep throw down the right sideline. His pass found Jalen Tolbert on the Packers’ 5-yard line, and the receiver completed the catch with a nice toe-tap reception to put Dallas in the red zone.

Pickens comes through again with big catch in overtime

Prescott continues to connect with his top receiver in Week 4. His 3rd-and-5 throw to Pickens at the start of overtime went for 22 yards and gave the Cowboys another set of downs to work with.

NFL overtime rules

In the regular season, NFL games tied after four quarters of regulation will enter a 10-minute overtime period. OT begins with a coin toss to determine who gets the ball first. Each team will have the opportunity to possess the ball even if the team that gets the ball first scores a touchdown on the opening possession.

• There are no coach challenges; all reviews will be initiated by the replay official.
• Each team gets two timeouts.
• The point after try is not attempted if the game ends on a touchdown.
• If the score is still tied at the end of the overtime period, the result of the game will be recorded as a tie.

Cowboys vs Packers score: Packers 37, Cowboys 37

This one’s going to overtime.

McManus nailed his 53-yard field goal attempt to tie the game and end regulation. The Packers’ seven-play, 39-yard drive ended the streak of six straight possessions with a lead change, but it was enough to draw Green Bay even and force an extra, 10-minute period.

The Packers won the toss and elected to kick, so Dallas will begin overtime with possession.

Cowboys vs Packers score: George Pickens reclaims Cowboys’ lead late

Dallas has needed to lean on Pickens in the wake of Lamb’s high ankle sprain. He’s done plenty to give the Cowboys confidence with the 28-yard catch-and-run he took to the house after running a nice comeback route and spinning away from his defender.

The touchdown, Pickens’ second of the game, gave the wideout 108 receiving yards for the game. More importantly, it represented a sixth straight lead change, giving the Cowboys the 37-34 lead with less than one minute to play in the fourth quarter.

Kavontae Turpin’s big return gives Cowboys good start

Dallas will begin its ensuing drive with excellent field position. Turpin fielded McManus’ kick at the Cowboys’ 1-yard line and returned it all the way to the 46.

The Cowboys start the drive just shy of Green Bay territory. Dallas still needs a touchdown to reclaim the lead with 1:35 left to play.

Cowboys vs Packers score: Romeo Doubs scores third touchdown of the night

For a fifth straight drive, the lead changed hands once again. For the third time tonight, Doubs found the end zone.

The Packers receiver found a spot over the middle of the field and hauled in the 15-yard pass to complete his Sunday night hat trick. Doubs is up to five catches for 52 yards and three touchdowns in Week 4.

Green Bay holds a 34-30 lead with 1:45 left to play.

Romeo Doubs’ big catch extends Packers’ drive

Facing a 3rd-and-8 situation from their own 22, the Packers were able to convert thanks to a nifty catch from Doubs over his defender and along the right sideline.

His 18-yard reception extended the Green Bay drive with a new set of downs. The Packers have the ball at their own 40-yard line with fewer than four minutes to go.

Josh Jacobs injury update: Packers RB returns after a knee injury

NBC reported that Jacobs sustained a cut on his right knee on the Packers’ previous offensive drive. He received treatment for the cut in the team’s locker room.

Jacobs was still on the sideline to begin Green Bay’s next drive with 4:50 to go, but he returned to action one play later.

Cowboys vs Packers score: Javonte Williams takes back the Cowboys’ lead

Williams took a direct snap behind a jumbo right formation and powered through the left side of the Cowboys’ offensive line for the score.

His one-yard rush gives Dallas the lead and pushes the streak of lead changes to four straight drives.

The Cowboys lead once again, 30-27, with under five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

Dak Prescott nails Pickens for fourth-down conversion

The Cowboys went for it on 4th-and-2 on their own 43-yard line. Prescott made his head coach’s decision pay off with a perfect throw over the middle to find a sliding Pickens.

Dallas’ drive continues, now in Green Bay territory, with eight minutes to play.

Cowboys vs Packers score: Josh Jacobs finds the end zone again

The veteran running back made a couple of slick cuts during his 18-yard touchdown run.

Jacobs’ second touchdown of the game gives the Packers a 27-23 lead after McManus’ PAT and extends the streak to three straight drives with a lead change.

The Cowboys will take over with 11:39 left in the game.

Jordan Love rips off 25-yard scramble

The Packers quarterback found a seam in the Cowboys’ defense and took advantage of the opening with his legs. His 25-yard run pushed his team back into Dallas territory early in the fourth quarter.

End of third quarter: Cowboys 23, Packers 20

Dallas is in line for its second win of the season with 15 minutes left to play. The Cowboys’ 80-yard touchdown drive near the end of the third quarter seized back the lead from Green Bay, 12 plays after the Packers had taken back the lead with a touchdown drive of their own.

Green Bay will start the fourth quarter with a 2nd-and-7 play from its own 33-yard line.

Cowboys vs Packers score: Jake Ferguson puts Dallas back on top

The Cowboys’ tight end, whom the team extended late in the offseason, pulled in a touchdown on a bullet pass from Prescott with his team-leading fifth catch of the night.

Aubrey’s PAT made it a 23-20 Cowboys lead with 34 seconds left in the third quarter. It’s a second straight lead change in the third quarter.

Micah Parsons injury update: Packers DE sustained possible back injury

Parsons went to the blue medical tent on the Packers’ sideline after he was involved in a tackle on the Cowboys’ ensuing offensive drive. NBC cameras showed him back on Green Bay’s sideline after exiting the tent, though he was still holding his lower back.

Cowboys vs Packers score: Josh Jacobs gets lead back for Green Bay

The Cowboys’ defense nearly held strong after Kraft’s overturned touchdown. A false start penalty backed the Packers up to the 6-yard line, and Dallas stopped Green Bay short on first and second down.

Jacobs eventually was able to punch the ball into the end zone for a score on third down to give his team the lead once again.

It’s 20-16 Packers after McManus’ PAT was good. The Cowboys get the ball back with seven minutes left in the third quarter.

Tucker Kraft touchdown dive overturned on review

The Packers’ tight end dove for the front-left pylon for what was initially ruled a 15-yard touchdown on the field.

After a review, the officials ruled Kraft down at the 1-yard line. His elbow went down just before the ball crossed the goal line.

Another penalty wipes out big Cowboys defensive play

It appeared that edge rusher Sam Williams managed to get to Love for the Cowboys’ second sack of the game. But his hand curled around Love’s face mask, resulting in a personal foul call that not only wiped away the sack but gave Green Bay 15 yards and a first down.

The Packers’ drive moves into Dallas territory after the penalty. They have a first down on the Cowboys’ 38-yard line with over 10 minutes left in the third quarter.

Cowboys forced to punt to open second half

Dallas mustered one first down on its first possession to begin the third quarter, but Prescott’s deep pass attempt to Jalen Tolbert fell incomplete on 3rd-and-14.

The Packers take over after the punt at their own 24-yard line two and a half minutes into the second half.

Bad Bunny will headline the Super Bowl 60 halftime show

The Puerto Rican singer will be the headline performer at Super Bowl 60 in February, Apple Music announced in a social media post.

The three-time Grammy winner released his latest album, ‘Debí Tirar Más Fotos’ in January of this year.

Micah Parsons halftime stats

The former Cowboy didn’t have a heavy presence in the first half of ‘Sunday Night Football.’

Through two quarters, Parsons had one total tackle (0 solo) and one pressure on a quarterback hit. He has yet to record his second sack of the season through three and a half games.

Halftime score: Cowboys 16, Packers 13

Dallas staged a massive comeback in the final moments of the first half. After a Packers touchdown began the second quarter, the rest of the first half was all Cowboys.

They followed up a 95-yard touchdown drive with a takeaway deep in Packers territory, and turned that into another quick score to take the lead just before halftime.

Cowboys vs Packers score: Dallas takes improbable first-half lead after takeaway

Dallas took full advantage of James Houston’s efforts to regain possession of the ball.

One play later, Prescott hit Pickens over the middle for a 15-yard touchdown pass. Suddenly, the Cowboys lead, 16-13, with nine seconds left in the half.

Cowboys force turnover on strip sack

Dallas edge rusher James Houston got to Love on a 1st-and-15 play with just seconds left in the first half. His strip and fumble recovery gave the Cowboys the ball back on Green Bay’s 15-yard line with 13 seconds remaining in the half.

Cowboys vs Packers score: Prescott takes it himself for first Cowboys TD

Pickens’ big catch gave Dallas a few chances to punch in the ball for their first score on offense. After a one-yard loss on a Williams run, Prescott punched it in on a quarterback draw play from two yards out.

Brandon Aubrey’s ensuing PAT cut the Cowboys’ deficit to four points.

It’s 13-9, Packers, with 41 seconds left in the first half.

George Pickens hauls in acrobatic 28-yard catch over two defenders

The Cowboys’ wide receiver got his team down to the Packers’ 1-yard line with a leaping grab over two Green Bay defenders converging on his point next to the sideline. He was able to get both feet down as he fell to complete the catch.

Pickens has been serving as Dallas’ leading receiver with CeeDee Lamb sidelined with an ankle injury and made his mark in a big way with the sideline catch.

Cowboys force punt after miscue

Dallas had another nice play overturned by a penalty. A seven-yard loss by the Packers’ offense turned into a 15-yard gain and first down when officials flagged rookie defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku for unnecessary roughness.

Nevertheless, the Cowboys stopped Green Bay’s offense for the next three plays to force a punt, which the Packers downed at the Dallas 5-yard line. It’s the Cowboys’ ball with 5:50 left in the half.

The Packers still lead, 13-2.

Matthew Golden lit up on punt return

Golden, the rookie first-round pick and punt returner for the Packers, opted not to call for a fair catch on his ensuing punt return. After making the catch, he spun and immediately took a big hit from Cowboys linebacker Marist Liufau.

Golden was able to hold onto the ball, but the big hit prompted some pushing and shoving between the Cowboys’ punt team and Packers’ punt coverage unit.

Cowboys’ big gain erased by penalty

For a second straight drive, a big play by Dallas has been called back because of a penalty. First, it was Trevon Diggs’ interception on the Packers’ last touchdown drive.

This time it was on offense. A 23-yard Kavontae Turpin reception was erased by an illegal formation penalty on third down, and the next attempt to convert wound up short.

The Cowboys once again punt after a three-and-out drive, and the Packers take over with 8:33 left in the half

Cowboys vs Packers score: Cowboys return blocked PAT to the house

Dallas finally got on the board in the second quarter thanks to its special teams unit. Safety Juanyeh Thomas blocked McManus’ PAT, and fellow special teams safety Markquese Bell returned the blocked kick more than 75 yards for a Cowboys two-pointer.

The score is now 13-2 Packers with 10:30 left in the first half.

Cowboys vs. Packers score: Romeo Doubs scores his second TD, extends Packers lead

This time, Doubs lined up on the left side and ran a one-yard quick slant to get open before Love found him for the pair’s second touchdown connection of the game. Running back Josh Jacobs had set up the score with a 28-yard catch-and-run on the play prior.

The Packers extend their two-score lead less than five minutes into the second quarter.

Trevon Diggs interception overturned by penalty

Dallas had too many players on the field when Love snapped the ball on a 3rd-and-5 play. The flag overturned what would have been Diggs’ first interception of the season after he made a diving play near the sideline.

Instead, the Packers’ drive continues with another first down thanks to the penalty.

End of first quarter: Packers 7, Cowboys 0

Green Bay scored on its first drive, but since then, Week 4’s edition of ‘Sunday Night Football’ has primarily been a defensive battle.

However, the Packers were driving to end the first quarter. They have the ball at the Dallas 38-yard line to begin the second quarter.

Packers cut Cowboys drive short

Dallas only managed five plays and 15 yards on its second drive. The Packers’ defense came up big with one ball batted down by cornerback Keisean Nixon on a deep throw, then with strong tackling on tight end Jake Ferguson to keep him short of the first-down marker.

The Cowboys punted away on fourth down, and after a short return from Golden, the Packers will take over from their own 32-yard line with just over one minute left in the first quarter.

Micah Parsons records first pressure on Dak Prescott

Parsons made his presence felt early on the Cowboys’ second drive, getting to quarterback Dak Prescott just a moment after he released the ball. Prescott completed his throw to Williams for four yards and a Cowboys first down.

Cowboys force a Packers punt after brief drive

Green Bay just managed to enter Cowboys territory on its second drive but were stopped shy of field goal range.

Packers punter Daniel Whelan booted the ball away, and Dallas returner Kavontae Turpin signaled for a fair catch at his team’s 11-yard line. The Cowboys’ second drive will start deep in their own territory with just over four minutes left in the first quarter.

Super Bowl halftime show announcement at halftime of Cowboys vs Packers

The NFL announced that the performer for the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show will be revealed during the Sunday Night Football game between the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys.

Cowboys go 3-and-out on first possession

Dallas ran the ball three straight times on its first possession and failed to pick up more than three yards on any play. The last play was a Javonte Williams run to the opposite side of Packers edge-rusher Micah Parsons, who did not record a stat in his first defensive drive against his former team.

Cowboys vs Packers score: Romeo Doubs puts the Packers ahead early

The Packers completed an eight-play, 69-yard drive with a touchdown. Doubs ran a perfect goal-line fade route, and Love found him in the back-right corner of the end zone for the two-yard touchdown pass.

It’s 7-0 Packers after Brandon McManus knocked through his PAT. The Cowboys will get their first possession with just over 10 minutes left in the first quarter.

Jordan Love finds Matthew Golden for 46-yard gain

On the third play of the game, both Golden and Dontayvion Wicks broke open as they streaked down the left sideline. It was Golden, the rookie first-round pick, who ended up coming down with the catch, putting Green Bay just outside of the red zone early.

What TV channel is Cowboys vs. Packers on?

• TV channel: NBC

NBC will broadcast the Cowboys vs. Packers ‘Sunday Night Football’ matchup. Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth will be on the call, with Melissa Stark providing updates from the sideline.

2025 Cowboys schedule

Dallas Cowboys record 2025

The Cowboys enter their ‘Sunday Night Football’ matchup with the Packers at 1-2. They suffered losses in Weeks 1 and 3 to the Eagles and Bears, respectively, with their sole win being an overtime victory against the Giants in Week 2.

When will CeeDee Lamb return?

Lamb is expected to be sidelined for at least two games, which would keep him out until Week 6.

The Cowboys haven’t provided much clarity on the situation in the aftermath. Team owner Jerry Jones confirmed to All City DLLS’ Clarence Hill Jr. on Monday that the team expects to be without Lamb for a month. He added that placing the receiver on injured reserve (IR) is a discussion the team will have.

Micah Parsons trade details

Below are the full terms of the Micah Parsons trade:

Packers get:

• EDGE Micah Parsons

Cowboys get

• DL Kenny Clark
• 2026 first-round pick
• 2027 first-round pick

How much do the Cowboys cheerleaders get paid?

Salaries for the Cowboys cheerleaders are not disclosed, but reports indicate that a veteran on the team makes around $150,000 a year after the group received a 400% increase in pay prior to the 2025 NFL season. However, they do not receive health insurance from the team.

The news of the increase was revealed by member Megan McElaney, a four-year veteran from Oceanside, California, on the Netflix series ‘America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders.’

‘Our efforts were heard and they wanted to give us a raise,’ McElaney said, via the Associated Press. ‘And we ended up getting a 400% increase, which is like, life-changing.’

Cowboys vs. Packers live stream

• Live stream:Fubo | Peacock

Peacock, NBC’s proprietary streaming service, will carry the ‘SNF’ game.

Fubo will also carry Cowboys vs. Packers. Fubo has NBC, as well as CBS, Fox, ABC, NFL Network and the ESPN family of networks, meaning you can catch NFL action all season long with the streaming service. Fubo also offers a free trial.

Watch ‘Sunday Night Football’ with Fubo (free trial)

Cowboys vs. Packers prediction

Both teams are coming off surprising Week 3 losses: The Cowboys on the road to the Bears, and the Packers on the road to the Browns. Even with Jayden Reed out, expect the Packers to have their way with Dallas’ porous secondary –and a Parsons likely hellbent on revenge probably adds a bit more fuel to the fire, too. With CeeDee Lamb out, Prescott will have to find George Pickens early and often. That’s not going to be an easy task. The Packers win by a touchdown.

Prediction: Packers 27, Cowboys 20

Cowboys vs. Packers live betting odds

Packers inactives vs. Cowboys

• CB Kamal Hadden
• OL Zach Tom
• OL Aaron Banks
• OL Anthony Belton
• DL Warren Brinson

Cowboys inactives vs. Packers

• Damone Clark (LB)
• Jaydon Blue (RB)
• Tyler Booker (G)
• Ajani Cornelius (OT)
• CeeDee Lamb (WR)
• Jay Toia (DT)

Packers 2025 record

The Packers walk into AT&T Stadium at 2-1 on the season. They have wins against the Lions and Commanders, with the Browns gaining an upset win over them in Week 3.

Packers schedule 2025

Cowboys vs. Packers injury report

When do the Cowboys play next?

• Start time: 8:20 p.m. ET | 7:20 p.m. CT
• Date: Sunday, Sept. 28 (Week 4)

The Cowboys and Packers matchup gets underway at 8:20 p.m. ET. The Packers travel to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas for the tilt.

Micah Parsons’ impact on Packers defense

It is still early on in the 2025 season but Green Bay’s defense has taken another step under Hafley with Parsons in the lineup. Like last year, the improvement is reflected in both standard and advanced metrics.

Green Bay has the top scoring defense in the league in 2025 at just 14.7 points allowed per game – a step up from 19.9 allowed in 2024. But there’s even more improvement in each phase without a massive change in personnel outside of Parsons’ arrival.

Here’s how Green Bay’s defense has improved in multiple metrics with its league ranking in parentheses.

EPA figures from SumerSports; pass rush win rate via ESPN Analytics.

Again, it’s only been three games but Parsons’ impact on the Packers defense is notable in all phases. This comes despite Parsons playing just 63% of snaps on defense so far; he’s hit at least 80% in each of his prior four seasons.

What time does Cowboys vs. Packers game start?

Tonight’s game kicks off at 8:20 p.m. ET which is 7:20 p.m. CT in Green Bay and Dallas.

Jake Ferguson stats

• Week 3 at Bears: 13 receptions, 14 targets, 82 yards, 0 touchdowns
• Week 2 vs Giants: 9 receptions, 12 targets, 78 yards, 0 touchdowns
• Week 1 at Eagles: 5 receptions, 6 targets, 23 yards, 0 touchdowns

In Week 3, with CeeDee Lamb out for most of the game, Ferguson caught 13 passes on 14 targets for 82 yards. This season, he has 27 receptions, which is the second most in the NFL and the highest for any Cowboys player in their first three games.

Cowboys WR depth chart

Here’s what the Cowboys will trot out at receiver while Lamb is sidelined:

1. CeeDee Lamb (injured)
2. George Pickens
3. Jalen Tolbert
4. KaVontae Turpin
5. Ryan Flournoy

Pickens figures to be Dak Prescott’s top weapon, while Tolbert slides into Lamb’s role.

Who did the Cowboys get in the Micah Parsons trade?

Clark was the lone current asset the Cowboys acquired in the Parsons trade. The 29-year-old spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Packers, making three Pro Bowls (2019, 2021 and 2023) and racking up 417 tackles and 35 sacks across 140 games in Green Bay.

Thus far through three games with the Cowboys, Clark has totaled 10 tackles and one sack while playing 64% of Dallas’ defensive snaps. Pro Football Focus currently has him graded as the 22nd interior defender among 91 qualifiers. – Jacob Camenker

Micah Parsons contract details

Parsons signed a four-year extension with the Packers upon being traded. Below is a look at the full details of that contract, per Spotrac.com.

• Term: Four years
• Total value: $186 million
• Average annual value (AAV): $46.5 million
• Guaranteed money: $136 million

Parsons had one year left on his contract when the Packers acquired him. He is due to have just a $1.17 million base salary, but because he received the entirety of his $44 million signing bonus. – Jacob Camenker

Packers WR depth chart

The Packers are well-stocked at the wide receiver position. The franchise selected Matthew Golden with its first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and has multiple young players at the position.

Here’s how things look entering tonight’s game vs. Cowboys:

• Romeo Doubs
• Matthew Golden
• Dontayvion Wicks
• Malik Heath
• Savion Williams
• Jayden Reed (injured)
• Christian Watson (injured)

Green Bay also has wide receivers Mecole Hardman, Will Sheppard and Isaiah Neyor signed to the practice squad. –Ayrton Ostly

Micah Parsons salary, year-by-year cap hits

Parsons carrying a cap hit of just $9.97 million. That number is derived from his $1.17 million base salary and $8.8 million of his signing bonus, which was prorated over five years.

Parsons also has three ‘void years’ – an accounting method used to defray the present-year salary cap cost of a player by prorating a signing bonus over additional years – attached to the end of his contract.

Below is a look at Parsons’ year-by-year cap hits with the Packers:

• 2025: $9.97 million
• 2026: $19.24 million
• 2027: $26.85 million
• 2028: $42.29 million
• 2029: $73.79 million
• 2030 (void): $19.99 million
• 2031 (void): $12.39 million
• 2032 (void): $5.5 million

And here is how much Parsons will be taking home in total earnings each of his seasons under contract in Green Bay:

• 2025: $45.17 million
• 2026: $40.84 million
• 2027: $38 million
• 2028: $41 million
• 2029: $45 million

Micah Parsons arrives for game vs. Cowboys

The star defensive end has arrived at AT&T Stadium for his first game against Dallas since being traded to Green Bay.

Micah Parsons contract incentives

Much of Parsons’ nine-figure deal with the Packers is guaranteed, but there are some small incentives he can earn via his on-field performance. Below is a breakdown of those incentives, per Spotrac.com:

• Annual per game active bonus: Up to $200,000 ($11,764 per game)
• 2027-29 Pro Bowl escalator: $250,000 per year
• 2027-29 All-Pro escalator: $250,000 per year
• 2029 Pro Bowl incentive: $250,000
• 2029 All-Pro incentive: $250,000

If Parsons is able to earn all of those bonuses, he will add an extra $3 million in value to his contract.

Highest-paid NFL defenders: Where Micah Parsons ranks

Parsons is the highest-paid NFL defender in both AAV and total contract value. Here’s a look at the top 10 defenders in each category:

AAV

1. Micah Parsons, edge, Packers: $46.5million
2. T.J. Watt, edge, Steelers: $41 million
3. Myles Garrett, edge, Browns: $40 million
4. Danielle Hunter, edge, Texans: $35.6 million
5. Maxx Crosby, edge, Raiders: $35.5 million
6. Nick Bosa, edge, 49ers: $34 million
7. Chris Jones, DL, Chiefs: $31.75 million
8. Sauce Gardner, CB, Jets: $30.1 million
9. Derek Stingley Jr., CB, Texans: $30 million
10. Nik Bonitto, edge, Broncos: $26.5 million

Total contract value

1. Micah Parsons, edge, Packers: $186 million
2. Nick Bosa, edge, 49ers: $170 million
3. Myles Garrett, edge, Browns: $160 million
4. Chris Jones, DL, Chiefs: $158.75 million
5. T.J. Watt, edge, Steelers: $123 million
6. Sauce Gardner, CB, Jets: $120.4 million
7. Maxx Crosby, edge, Raiders: $106.5 million
8. Nik Bonitto, edge, Broncos: $106 million
9. Milton Williams, DL, Patriots: $104 million
10. Zach Allen, DL, Broncos: $102 million

While Parsons tops defensive players in AAV and total contract value, he ranks just 12th and 15th across the two categories league-wide, behind a plethora of high-paid quarterbacks.

Micah Parsons takes the field in Dallas wearing Packers uniform

Kenny Clark contract details

Clark is in the first season of a three-year, $64 million extension he signed with the Packers in 2024. Below are the full details of Clark’s contract, per Spotrac.com.

• Term: 3 years
• Total value: $64 million
• Average annual value (AAV): $21.33 million
• Guaranteed money: $17.5 million

While Clark’s deal runs through the 2027 NFL season, the Cowboys are not on the hook for any guarantees until the veteran’s $11 million roster bonus for 2026 hits on the third day of the new league year in March.

As such, Clark’s pact with Dallas is more of a year-to-year variety, as the team can get out of it with ease after each season.

Below is a full look at what Dallas will owe Clark yearly over the course of his contract:

• 2025: $2.3 million
• 2026: $21.5 million
• 2027: $20 million

By comparison, the Packers gave Parsons a four-year, $186 million contract extension to make him the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player in AAV. He is due $120 million in guarantees, which is nearly three times what Dallas will pay Clark over the remainder of his deal.

Will the Cowboys have a tribute video for Micah Parsons?

The Cowboys will not have a tribute video for Parsons on Sunday night.

‘It’s not appropriate,’ Jones told All City DLLS’ Clarence Hill Jr. on Sept. 22.

Jones hasn’t hid his displeasure with how the negotiations played out, routinely taking aim at Parsons’ agent, David Mulugheta, throughout the process – especially during an appearance on Michael Irvin’s YouTube channel in August.

‘When we wanted to send the [contract] details to the agent, the agent told us to stick it up our ass,’ Jones said. ‘Micah and I talked and then we were gonna send it over to the agent. We had our agreements on term, amount, guarantees, everything.’

Who is Jeff Hafley?

Hafley spent the first decade of his coaching career at the college level with stops at Worcester Polytechnic, Albany, Pittsburgh and Rutgers. Though he played wide receiver in college for the Siena Saints, Hafley’s spent the majority of his coaching career on defense. He was either a defensive assistant or defensive backs coach in that first decade.

He followed former Rutgers coach Greg Schiano to the NFL in 2012 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He coached defensive backs for the franchise in 2012 and 2013.

When Schiano was fired after the 2013 season, Hafley went to Cleveland for two seasons before a three-year stint in San Francisco. His year with Ohio State in 2019 led to his hiring at Boston College in 2020, where he spent four season and went 22-26 with one Bowl game victory.

Green Bay hired Hafley in 2024 and saw immediate improvement by both standard and advanced statistics. Green Bay went from one of the four worst run defenses in 2023 to a top-10 unit in 2024. By expected points added (EPA) per play, the Packers went from 23rd in 2023 to fifth in 2024, according to SumerSports.

Like Macdonald’s success with Baltimore in 2023, Hafley will likely get head coaching interest for the 2026 hiring cycle.

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Who are the announcers for Cowboys vs. Packers on NBC? 

Mike Tirico will handle play-by-play duties during the game, with Cris Collinsworth providing color commentary and Melissa Stark reporting from the sidelines.

NBC’s weekly ‘Football Night in America’ pregame show will begin at 7 p.m. ET and feature insight from a panel of analysts, including Maria Taylor, Jason Garrett, Chris Simms, Mike Florio, Devin McCourty, Tony Dungy, and more.