FRISCO, Texas — The match between Micah Parsons and the Dallas Cowboys has been just about perfect so far.
The rookie linebacker (or defensive end, depending on the moment) loves the spotlight and few teams in the NFL gain more attention than the Cowboys, good or bad.
On Thursday night at the Caesars Superdome against the New Orleans Saints (8:20 p.m. ET, Fox/NFL Network), the bright lights will find Parsons.
“I mean, let the eyes be on me,” Parsons said. “It ain’t going to change my preparation, ain’t going to change nothing I did because I was already ready for the moment. Some people are born for it. I believe I was born for it and I just got to play like that.”
Playing for the Cowboys can be overwhelming because of the attention. On and off the field, every move is dissected. Some players can deal with the pressure. Others wilt with sensitivity. Parsons, who was the No. 12 overall pick in the 2021 draft, has flourished.
Coach Mike McCarthy said the club has a character breakdown in scouting reports to ascertain whether draftees can handle the rigors of playing for the Cowboys.
“It’s very different working for the Dallas Cowboys,” said McCarthy, who has been with the Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, the Saints and the Kansas City Chiefs in his NFL career. “It’s a spotlight like none other.”
Parsons is not just a product of the hype that can turn some Cowboys into household names before they ever truly accomplish anything. His production, especially since the bye week (36 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles in the last five games), comes after adding more to his preparation after what he believed were too many subpar moments.
The morning of the first practice following the Oct. 24 bye, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn walked into The Star — the Cowboys’ headquarters and practice facility — about 6…
Source : espn
