The Dallas Cowboys are lucky to have do-it-all defender Micah Parsons on the roster. The fourth-year linebacker has become a mainstay on the Cowboys' defense, logging at least 13 sacks in each of his first three NFL seasons. However, that hasn't stopped fans from criticizing Parsons for not making a difference in the playoffs. Parsons addressed those concerns with the media on Friday.
“The criticism is a privilege because sometimes a great standard is not good enough for those who are greater,” Parsons said at a youth football camp on Friday, via Sophia Vesely of the Dallas Morning News. “When people want things, you have to answer the call. It is not a negative thing. [It's] the most positive thing people can say to me because it pushes me and challenges me to be better. . . . It is a great privilege for someone to say, ‘Hey, you are great, but you can be greater.’”
One way that Parsons is hoping to become greater in 2024 is by staying on the field longer.
“I have been doing a lot of muscle endurance,” he said. “I have been doing a lot of lunges and a lot of squats. My legs are going to keep going.”
Parsons is also reportedly making an effort to increase his communication with the new defensive coaching staff, particularly new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer.
“[The defensive team] has been very open and transparent with me about what they want and how they want their defense to be run and how he wants me to line up,” Parsons said. “It is great.”
Parsons has already proved that he is a great NFL defender. Now he needs to show that he can take his game to the next level.
Micah Parsons drops bold claim about Cowboys despite uneventful offseason
Micah Parsons has big expectations for the Cowboys in 2024.
Many fans were disappointed that the Cowboys' “all-in” offseason resulted in so few big moves by the team. Parsons reportedly doesn't share the same concerns that fans have about Dallas' offseason.
“It doesn’t disappoint me. If you figure out how the money goes and how the contract goes, you kind of understand that business side,” Parsons said, per Jon Machota of The Athletic. “I think CeeDee takes up the value of two or three players. You’re talking about $30 million-plus per year. If you do that, how can you afford to pay CeeDee Lamb? That goes on for other guys potentially,” he said about the situation that Jerry Jones and the Cowboys front office have to face.
Parsons believes the Cowboys already have all the players they need to win a championship. That makes it easy not to care too much about the business side of the game.
“The mindset I have is we have seven All-Pros or however the count may be. It might be more, it might be less, we got at least three guys I know can be All-Pro. A lot of guys are going to have breakout years. I think that plays into it, too. When you talk about all these guys, it just leads to saying, ‘Hey, when are the other guys going to step up and be better for the team?” Parsons added.
The Cowboys are entering a crucial 2024 season. If they can't find postseason success again this season, many changes could be next for Dallas.
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