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Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy's challenge to Micah Parsons: 'Be an elite player
Parsons' second-year jump won't be measured by statistics, McCarthy says, but by how he impacts the team on and off the field.
FRISCO, Texas -- Micah Parsons has had a fun offseason in his new hometown. The Dallas Cowboys linebacker has attended Dallas Stars and Dallas Mavericks games. He threw out the first pitch at a Texas Rangers game. He was backstage after Errol Spence Jr.’s welterweight title fight at AT&T Stadium.
There was also a hilarious pregame puck drop at the Hershey Bears game back in his home state of Pennsylvania, where he walked to center ice and never waited for the players to join him.
Parsons is doing his best to make sure it is not getting in the way of football as he prepares for his second season.
For McCarthy, Parsons’ second-year jump won’t be measured by statistics -- like building on a franchise-rookie-record 13 sacks in 2021.
McCarthy places NFL players into four categories, ranging from good players, to good players who have great moments, to individuals who consistently perform at an extremely high level, to, finally, the elite players.
“And that’s what we’re all hoping that these guys develop into because elite players make players better around them,” McCarthy said. “Obviously Micah had a lot of great moments last year, but our desire -- and it needs to be his desire -- is for him to be an elite player, not just a great player. ...
"How they work, how they compete in practice, how they compete in the weight room, how they compete at garbage can basketball in the locker room. I don’t know. That’s all part of culture growth and establishing that, and that’s something that he has an opportunity to really make a huge impact in our football team."
Even though he is entering only his second season, Parsons is viewed as a leader. He is arguably the Cowboys' best defensive player. A year ago, he was more measured on when to speak his mind.
“I’m able to be a little more [vocal] with the guys, explaining what I like to do, what I don’t like to do, what helps me if you do this that way,” Parsons said. “And just having that open communication this offseason, just been beneficial for the guys. I think if you look at the way we’re practicing and we’re looking at the film, we look so much better than [when] we were starting last year.”
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Parsons' second-year jump won't be measured by statistics, McCarthy says, but by how he impacts the team on and off the field.
FRISCO, Texas -- Micah Parsons has had a fun offseason in his new hometown. The Dallas Cowboys linebacker has attended Dallas Stars and Dallas Mavericks games. He threw out the first pitch at a Texas Rangers game. He was backstage after Errol Spence Jr.’s welterweight title fight at AT&T Stadium.
There was also a hilarious pregame puck drop at the Hershey Bears game back in his home state of Pennsylvania, where he walked to center ice and never waited for the players to join him.
Parsons is doing his best to make sure it is not getting in the way of football as he prepares for his second season.
For McCarthy, Parsons’ second-year jump won’t be measured by statistics -- like building on a franchise-rookie-record 13 sacks in 2021.
McCarthy places NFL players into four categories, ranging from good players, to good players who have great moments, to individuals who consistently perform at an extremely high level, to, finally, the elite players.
“And that’s what we’re all hoping that these guys develop into because elite players make players better around them,” McCarthy said. “Obviously Micah had a lot of great moments last year, but our desire -- and it needs to be his desire -- is for him to be an elite player, not just a great player. ...
"How they work, how they compete in practice, how they compete in the weight room, how they compete at garbage can basketball in the locker room. I don’t know. That’s all part of culture growth and establishing that, and that’s something that he has an opportunity to really make a huge impact in our football team."
Even though he is entering only his second season, Parsons is viewed as a leader. He is arguably the Cowboys' best defensive player. A year ago, he was more measured on when to speak his mind.
“I’m able to be a little more [vocal] with the guys, explaining what I like to do, what I don’t like to do, what helps me if you do this that way,” Parsons said. “And just having that open communication this offseason, just been beneficial for the guys. I think if you look at the way we’re practicing and we’re looking at the film, we look so much better than [when] we were starting last year.”
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