CFZ Micah Parsons' next challenge: Showing some leadership

[Bobhaze]

It would be hard to disagree that Micah Parsons is the most talented player on this Cowboys team. He certainly is the most talented player on the defense. His physical skills are undeniable and at the top of the league. His pass rushing skills wreak havoc on offensive lines. Offensive coordinators undoubtedly have to account for MP first in the development of every game plan. Having a player of this level of talent is something to believe in.

But it is also a common belief in sports that you should be able to count on your best, most talented player to not only play well, but to also show some leadership. If not verbally, at least by example. Because despite Micah Parsons‘ enormous talent, he has yet to show a level of leadership in accordance with his talent.

Leadership does not have to be verbally eloquent. Parsons doesn’t have to be a rah-rah guy in the locker room. In fact, the best sports leaders first and foremost lead by example on and off the field. The best leaders on the team should be the best in practice, leaders by example in the weight room, and be someone who makes the team bigger than a bunch of individuals. I haven’t seen those qualities yet from Parsons. But he’s only 24. He has time.

So how could Micah Parsons step up into a bigger role as a leader on this team now?

• Be the example of a strong work ethic. First in the weight room. Hardest worker at practice. Hold teammates accountable to do the same.
• Stop making ANY excuses after losses or complaining about things that are “unfair”.
• Put the team before your personal brand. Temporarily suspend the podcast until you have accomplished something as a TEAM.

This list could be longer but you get the idea. Team leaders do not have to be eloquent public speakers or lead cheers in the locker room. But if your most talented player seems to be more concerned about podcasts and getting jerseys signed and a frequent excuse maker, it hurts the team.

Time for Micah Parsons to show some real leadership.

 

[CCBoy]

At defensive end, he is even an improving star. He and Lawrence are the top pair of NFL defensive ends on a team. Mix that with the top pair of CB'a on a team:
Diggs and Bland and leadership status is now directed with a strong coaching staff and a new middle linebacker added to strengthen team leadership.

Parsons is still very strongly growing towards team directions.

 

[Creeper]

I have seen no indications of true leadership qualities in Micah Parsons. I don't think that is going to change either. And that's okay. True leadership abilities are rare and they don't come from athletic ability. Micah strikes me as being more of a "free spirit" for lack of a better term. What I would worry about is not that he is not a leader, but that he is a bit of a disrupter. That he becomes a person unwilling to yield to someone else's leadership.

I have seen this before in the corporate world. There are always people with excellent technical abilities who think they should be in charge because of their superior knowledge. They're just bad at managing people. Being the best football player on the field does not make you a leader. It is an attribute that can be used to gain respect other others, but leadership takes more than that. I have not seen it from Micah and I don't think we ever will.

 

[TwentyOne]

• Put the team before your personal brand. Temporarily suspend the podcast until you have accomplished something as a TEAM.

Parsons is not a leader.

You cant make applejuice out of an Orange. Stop trying to. Accept reality. Parsons is a very good player who wont be great because he is so much more about selling himself than the game.

And that is another thing to accept. You cant change our FO approach. Players and coaches come here because we give them the posibiliy to establish a brand. Not because they want to win something meaningful.

To question that or to ask players to change their priorities is just a contradiction in itself. It wont happen. We are not a the chiefs or the Eagles. We are a merchandise franchise. They wouldnt be here if it were else.

Learn to live with it. Enjoy the Show. If you are looking for something serious switch channels.

 

[Bobhaze]

I understand and even agree with the assessments from several here that Micah is not a leader naturally. But leadership is as much an example as anything else. Hard work in practice, weight room, avoiding making excuses do not require great leadership skills.

If your best player is also not your hardest worker yet is clearly a big player on social media, that’s a problem. I think too many fans think leadership is about being able to be a locker room cheerleader or an eloquent interview.

Sports leadership is about example and that requires not a single word being said.

 

[Cowboy4ever]

Leadership? I would settle for being active in run defense instead of running straight to the QB. I get it, sacks =paid, but stopping the run = championships. So far all Parsons has shown me is that he is out for himself, the other 10 players on D don't matter to him.

 

[Rockport]

I have seen no indications of true leadership qualities in Micah Parsons. I don't think that is going to change either. And that's okay. True leadership abilities are rare and they don't come from athletic ability. Micah strikes me as being more of a "free spirit" for lack of a better term. What I would worry about is not that he is not a leader, but that he is a bit of a disrupter. That he becomes a person unwilling to yield to someone else's leadership.

I have seen this before in the corporate world. There are always people with excellent technical abilities who think they should be in charge because of their superior knowledge. They're just bad at managing people. Being the best football player on the field does not make you a leader. It is an attribute that can be used to gain respect other others, but leadership takes more than that. I have not seen it from Micah and I don't think we ever will.

He’s young and still a bit immature. He‘s still learning.

 

[Rockport]

Parsons is not a leader.

You cant make applejuice out of an Orange. Stop trying to. Accept reality. Parsons is a very good player who wont be great because he is so much more about selling himself than the game.

And that is another thing to accept. You cant change our FO approach. Players and coaches come here because we give them the posibiliy to establish a brand. Not because they want to win something meaningful.

To question that or to ask players to change their priorities is just a contradiction in itself. It wont happen. We are not a the chiefs or the Eagles. We are a merchandise franchise. They wouldnt be here if it were else.

Learn to live with it. Enjoy the Show. If you are looking for something serious switch channels.

He’s only 25. Were all your decisions at 25 correct?

 

[KJJ]

He hasn’t shown any leadership so far and hasn’t elevated the defense in the playoffs. Probably because he hasn’t shown up in the playoffs. He says he only wants to play until he’s 30. He has a lot of other interests and doesn’t seem to love football.

 

[JBS]

He’s already failed this challenge

Leaders don’t skip OTAs. That’s just 1 of 100 examples of him not being a leader

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

He’s young and still a bit immature. He‘s still learning.

Some people never learn.

 

[plymkr]

I understand and even agree with the assessments from several here that Micah is not a leader naturally. But leadership is as much an example as anything else. Hard work in practice, weight room, avoiding making excuses do not require great leadership skills.

If your best player is also not your hardest worker yet is clearly a big player on social media, that’s a problem. I think too many fans think leadership is about being able to be a locker room cheerleader or an eloquent interview.

Sports leadership is about example and that requires not a single word being said.

I’m concerned that Micah was a no show at OTAs with a new defensive coordinator and defense in place. He’s off doing his own thing, his own training away from the team. Right now I just want him to be a team player. Forget being a leader, just be a team player. He quit in the playoff game, he’s not showing up for OTAs AND he wants to be the highest paid defensive player in the league. No way. Please Jerry don’t sign him unless he matures a little bit. At least be a team player.

We don’t need a selfish prima Donna, regular season hero that disappears in the playoffs as the cornerstone of the team. That rubs off on other players when you have a weak FO and organization culture.

 

[Cowboys5217]

Be wary about breaking the bank for this guy. Got the strong odor of checking out mentally and coasting once he gets that big bag.

 

[Rockport]

He’s already failed this challenge

Leaders don’t skip OTAs. That’s just 1 of 100 examples of him not being a leader

Looks like the haters have another target to focus on.

 

[blueblood70]

I understand and even agree with the assessments from several here that Micah is not a leader naturally. But leadership is as much an example as anything else. Hard work in practice, weight room, avoiding making excuses do not require great leadership skills.

If your best player is also not your hardest worker yet is clearly a big player on social media, that’s a problem. I think too many fans think leadership is about being able to be a locker room cheerleader or an eloquent interview.

Sports leadership is about example and that requires not a single word being said.

Yeah, but there's two steps or two levels to leadership some of the great players can just be leaders like Luka Doncic not much of A leader like by example but by his play and his killer instinct that he's developing people look up to him and they feed off his energy.

A lot of our stars don't have that Trayvon diggs is too quiet by nature you can tell he's just one of those introvert type guys and Micah Parsons is a guy that if he takes over a game he can lead by his play on the field the problem is mentally he's taken out of the game by either frustration from the referees being held and not called for having penalties brought up against him that maybe shouldn't and when he's taken out of games in big moments and he disappears late in games that's what it's lacking right now it's more mental it would be nice if he's more vocal I mean people don't see Prescott is a leader but Prescott is a leader I think his calmness under pressure and whether people think that or not I don't care I see it the way he can bring guys into a huddle he doesn't panic he seems to have the same demeanor most times that's what a leader does and can do it on the field as well you need both to be a true leader that you're talking about his true leadership needs to not be just coming from his game he needs to stop being able to be mentally taken out of the game because I think some of his teammates like tank will come out and say ohh. I just didn't have the energy today I'm tired it was a long season well leaders don't do that a guy like Micah wouldn't allow especially guys on defense that play with him to say things like that in public it may be true... But you cannot allow people to say that and you cannot allow people to give up in games leaders will make those guys find the energy find the effort and try to win those games whether you're down by 20 or up by 10...

See the 90s teams we had at least five guys or more that were both vocal leaders and the way they played on the field they knew how to motivate and keep guys under control and never allow a player to just give up in a game...

Like I don't care how good some of our players are on this team I just don't see a bunch of leaders that both are the best player on the team and vocal they had the mentality to keep other players head straight in games and making them believe they're gonna win no matter what I mean Prescott as close of that as we have but other than that I don't feel anybody's doing that Zach Martin's not exactly doing that anymore not that I see..

 

[jujoboys]

Leadership needs to come from a place higher than Parsons. Right now the leadership revolves solely around Jerry Jones and his style is to coddle. Jerry probably likes all of the attention that Parsons gets from the media because it gets the Cowboys in the news more. The coach can't be a leader because everyone knows he answers to Jerry. Plus, barring a miracle, they all know McCarthy is gone after the year. The big test will be when Zimmer starts giving some of the coddled stars on defense some tough love. It would be interesting to know if Jerry intervenes if he gets complaints from guys like Parsons, Diggs, etc.

 

[CCBoy]

I understand and even agree with the assessments from several here that Micah is not a leader naturally. But leadership is as much an example as anything else. Hard work in practice, weight room, avoiding making excuses do not require great leadership skills.

If your best player is also not your hardest worker yet is clearly a big player on social media, that’s a problem. I think too many fans think leadership is about being able to be a locker room cheerleader or an eloquent interview.

Sports leadership is about example and that requires not a single word being said.

No, action and bringing direction...leadership.

 

[visionary]

Cannot fake leadership in a locker room
Micah is TO 2.0

 

[Coogiguy03]

He hasn’t shown any leadership so far and hasn’t elevated the defense in the playoffs. Probably because he hasn’t shown up in the playoffs. He says he only wants to play until he’s 30. He has a lot of other interests and doesn’t seem to love football.

You and all the others need to stop calling him great then it's gone to his head

 

[Rockport]

You and all the others need to stop calling him great then it's gone to his head

Parsons IS great.