The Cowboys opened their organized team activities Tuesday without Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb. Lamb’s absence was expected as he seeks a new contract.
The team had hoped Parsons would return for the start of OTAs as he did last season.
Instead, Parsons remains in training by himself.
Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News attended Parsons’ workout with boxing coach Tony Mack at Hidden Gym only a few miles from the Cowboys’ training facility, The Star.
Parsons will participate in OTAs beginning next week, per Gehlken. Parsons was at The Star as recently as last week and has worked with the strength and conditioning staff, including coordinator Harold Nash Jr.
Parsons told Gehlken he’s not trying to make a statement about his contract but rather he believes his individualized training is what’s best for him.
“I know I’m putting in the work,” Parsons told Gehlken. “It more bothers me that people would think that I’m not doing everything I imagine possible to be the best player I can be to help win a championship. It’s more of that. . . . The greatness, the spirit, it’s all in me, and I want it more than anybody.
“The [playoff] loss hurts. I’m not worried about no money, no nothing. That failure sits deep more than anything else.”
The All-Pro edge rusher has becomes one of the top defensive players in the NFL, and eventually, the Cowboys will pay him like it. With a $2.989 million base salary this season, Parsons is underpaid.
Parsons, though, is only concerned with spiritual, physical and mental growth for now.
“Mike [McCarthy] and I talked multiple times this offseason about how can we create more self-discipline, how can we eliminate the penalties, how can we create a better environment to be better,” Parsons said. “It starts with me. That’s why I’ve been putting so much into that. You’ve got to learn how to lead. You have to learn almost everything in life. . . . I realized I need to increase my spirit, so when others are down, my spirit rises.”
