Micah Parsons’ ex-teammates wanted him to put down the mic.
Some of the star pass rusher’s former Cowboys teammates viewed him as “egotistical” and “self-centered,” according to Sports Illustrated, and he even rankled some — including quarterback Dak Prescott — with his “The Edge with Micah Parsons” podcast.
That created a different perception in the locker room amid Parsons’ contract battle with Jerry Jones compared to others’ spats, which ultimately resulted in a shocking trade sending him to Green Bay.
“That said, there is a difference between this negotiation and the previous three,” Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer wrote. “(Zack) Martin, (CeeDee) Lamb and Prescott are/were very popular in the locker room. That’s not the case with Parsons, who has rankled teammates in different ways, seen by some as egotistical and self-centered. His podcast has created issues, too, that go all the way up to quarterback Dak Prescott.”
Parsons marked the first unsuccessful contract negotiation with one of Dallas’ stars in recent memory, with Martin receiving a new deal in 2023 and Prescott and Lamb doing so in 2024.
While many expected Dallas would handle the situation similarly with Parsons, they instead sent him away for two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark.
There’s plenty to debate about whether Dallas made the right move, but these behind-the-scenes details provide context to why owner Jones may have made the call beyond the money factor.
How a player is viewed in the locker room and by his coaches can certainly influence a decision.
Parsons is certainly a very media friendly personality, as seen by his podcast, but it appears that his teammates would prefer he avoid recapping each game for all to hear.
He’s hosted his podcast for the last two years, and it’s certainly noteworthy that Prescott, the team’s franchise quarterback, reportedly had some issues with the venture.
Breer further reported that those around the Cowboys noticed a different side to Parsons than the one cameras captured.
“During camp in California, Parsons was very attentive with and receptive to his new defensive coaches — good in walkthroughs, good in the meeting room and staying up on his workout regimen,” Breer wrote in a piece published Friday. “There was then a marked difference in how he carried himself at practice, when cameras were on, and when ownership was around, which gave everyone the feeling that he was very much trying to send a message to the bosses.”
Teams will certainly put up with “egotistical” and/or “self-centered” teammates as long as they produce, which Parsons did to the tune of four straight seasons with 12-plus sacks, but things broke down in negotiations that the Cowboys ultimately felt they’d be better off without Parsons.
“We can win, in our minds, more than had we gone the other route and signed him,” Jones said. “That’s not a negative on Micah, that’s just unique to our circumstances.”
