Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons is entering his third season, with everyone wondering how he can get even better when he is already one of the best players in the NFL.
But that isn’t enough for Parsons, as he says he thinks this Cowboys team has a chance to take it all the way this season.
Micah Parsons | Offseason Focuses
Parsons says he can take his game to the next level by going into the “deep water.”
“In terms of my conditioning, where I’m at, how I determined how I was going to get better this year. I think it’s through the roof. I just hope everybody’s ready,” said Parsons. As for how he plans to do that? He says he hopes everybody can swim because he is taking them to an island.
He says spending time with not just guys who play on the D-line but also the O-line has helped him improve and invest in improving on any weaknesses he has.
“I want to understand what are you doing to try to stop me… I don’t think a lot of people invest in that. I invested on how I could get better, not on the things that I do right already. I invested in all my weaknesses,” the star pass rusher explained.
By doing this and being steps ahead of other guys, he says that while others are catching up, he will already be in the water.
As for what those weaknesses are? Parsons says anyone wanting to know will have to dive deep and study his game. He discussed how his plan this offseason was to bulk up his strength and joints to sustain it, especially toward the back half of the season.
He mentioned how talking with guys like Tom Brady and Ray Lewis helped him get an idea of how to have a long career that will last for years to come.
Micah Parsons | Making The Right Choices
Parsons discussed how he developed the mentality that he has. He says it starts with little choices he makes daily first thing in the morning to set himself up for success.
“I’m just tired of being second or tired of just coming up short,” said Parsons.
Parsons wants to make decisions to put himself in the best position every day to say, “I can live with that.”
“I told this to the guys, is the price of discipline worth the lifetime of regret,” said Parsons.
Something that haunts Parsons that he can’t live comfortably with? He mentioned the loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the playoffs.
He says that his message to the team has resonated well, and he sees the level of competition with everyone trying to beat each other. In addition, if there is any competition in the room, he “can’t lose.”
“That’s the goal, really, you trying to beat each other, and that’s just going to make each other better,” said Parsons. The centerpiece of the Dallas defense explained that he pushes his teammates to be better at all times, practice included.
His advice: “You got to go into deep water now so that way in the game, you know it’s nothing new to you; you felt that pain already.”
Part of his mindset comes from working under defensive coordinator Dan Quinn who he says brings the best out of him — adding that Quinn believed in him before he believed in himself.
Micah Parsons | What Level the Dallas Cowboys’ Defense Can Play At
Parsons believes the mix of veteran and rookie players can all contribute to this defense stamping themselves into NFL history.
“Where I think this defense could be? I think we could be up there with the 49ers great defense. I think we could be up there with the Ray Lewis of defenses. I think we could be up there with the Legion of Boom with the talent we have,” said Parsons.
Micah Parsons Reflects on Future Contract Discussions and His Position
As for what he said about signing a long-term extension with the Cowboys like his teammate Trevon Diggs just did, he said, ” I just know if I win this Super Bowl that I ain’t worry about nothing for the rest of my life.”
And if you’re wondering what position Micah is playing on the way to try and win that Super Bowl, his answer was: “I just play football at this point. I’m just a football player that just loves the game.”
