The Dallas Cowboys are preparing for an emotional Week 4 matchup at AT&T Stadium, but fans hoping for a tribute to former first-round pick Micah Parsons may be left disappointed. Despite Parsons returning to Arlington for the first time since his blockbuster trade to the Green Bay Packers, the Cowboys have no plans to recognize or honor him on Sunday.
Instead, the franchise will turn its spotlight elsewhere. On Friday, the Cowboys announced that they will be honoring former Packers defensive tackle Kenny Clark, who has recently joined Dallas, by naming him Captain of the Week. Clark will take the field as a one-game captain alongside the team’s season-long leaders: Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Osa Odighizuwa, Donovan Wilson, Brandon Aubrey, and C.J. Goodwin.
The decision has already sparked conversation across the fan base. While some argue Parsons deserves acknowledgment for his contributions to Dallas’ defense during his tenure, others point out that the Cowboys’ tradition has always been to focus on those currently in the locker room. Honoring Clark — a respected veteran now wearing the star — emphasizes the organization’s commitment to the players fighting for them today, not the ones wearing rival colors.
When the Cowboys announced that Kenny Clark would serve as Captain of the Week for Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers, head coach Brian Schottenheimer made it clear the honor was about more than just football.
“In talking to some of their coaches in passing since the trade, they’ve said how much they miss Kenny as a man, as a teammate, and his play style,” Schottenheimer told reporters on Friday. “So happy to have Kenny.”
It’s high praise — and a reminder of just how impactful Clark was during his nine-year tenure in Green Bay. A former first-round pick, Clark carved out a reputation as one of the NFL’s most disruptive interior linemen, earning three Pro Bowl nods while anchoring the Packers’ defensive front.
This weekend’s game, however, comes with an unusual twist: the Packers will be lining up across from their longtime star for the first time. Clark, who came to Dallas in the blockbuster trade that sent Micah Parsons to Green Bay along with several draft picks, admits the matchup will carry a surreal feeling.
“It’ll definitely be weird when I’m out there,” Clark said with a grin. “You’ll see those yellow helmets and be like, ‘Damn, I was just over there.’”
The emotions will undoubtedly run high. For Green Bay, Clark was more than just a dominant defensive tackle — he was a locker-room cornerstone. For Dallas, he represents a fresh start and a new identity, a physical presence who can help shape the defense’s future.
Sunday’s showdown isn’t just another game. It’s a reunion, a farewell, and the beginning of a new chapter — all colliding under the bright lights of AT&T Stadium.
As the Dallas Cowboys gear up for their Sunday night showdown with the Green Bay Packers, defensive tackle Kenny Clark is preparing for more than just the game itself. The veteran lineman has already arranged his post-game jersey swap with linebacker Rashan Gary, a nod to the bond forged during their years together in Green Bay. Another former teammate, tight end Tucker Kraft, praised Clark’s influence both on and off the field ahead of the reunion.
“Kenny Clark was kind of that person people would look to in the sense of, what do we need to do? He was a walking standard,” Kraft said.
It’s high praise for a player whose steady presence became synonymous with the Packers’ defense. For nearly a decade, Clark was more than just a Pro Bowl-caliber lineman — he was the tone-setter, the example others followed.
The trade that sent him to Dallas, packaged in the blockbuster deal for Micah Parsons and draft picks, was nothing short of a shock. Clark admitted he barely had time to process the move. With less than a week left in the offseason, he had to pack up his life in Green Bay and relocate to Dallas almost overnight.
He found a house in the DFW area by scrolling through listings on his phone, made the move quickly, and tried to keep his family grounded as emotions ran high.
“My mom was hot. My mom was hot,” Clark recalled, via reporter Ryan Wood. “My girl, my brothers, they were all pretty emotional about it. I had to explain to them, everybody gets this call if you play long enough.”
For Clark, the transition has been both surreal and eye-opening. Leaving behind a team where he spent nine seasons and built his reputation wasn’t easy. Yet, he has embraced Dallas with quiet determination, slipping into a leadership role on a defensive front still searching for its new identity post-Parsons.
Now, as he prepares to face the Packers for the first time in different colors, Clark finds himself at the center of one of the most emotionally charged storylines of Week 4. He’ll line up against his old teammates, share post-game hugs, and then walk into a new chapter that still feels fresh — but increasingly like home.
Clark has played a long time, and the former first-rounder is still playing at a high level. He has 10 tackles through three games this season, including one sack and one tackle for loss. He’ll be playing against the Packers on Sunday, but he still intends to play all out for a Cowboys win.
“It is a real connection but at the end of the day we trying to get to 1-0,” he said. “It’s not about me. It’s about the Cowboys getting a win. I’m going to do everything in my power for us to do that.”
