Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons wants more. Not money, at least not yet (even if he should). He wants more from himself as a leader.
“I kinda went to my mentors this offseason,” Parsons told reporters on Wednesday, via Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “How do I approach this? How do I get better at this? This is a task I never had to take on in my life. I think my whole life, I was pretty much, ‘Micah is going to do what Micah is going to do.’ I just expected everyone else to do that. As you learn leadership, some people need a pat on the back and some people need a push up.”
To spark the new mindset, Parsons spoke to former players like Ray Lewis and Tom Brady.
“I think I got the crown and I need to build up my guys around me and make sure we’re all ready,” Parsons said. “At the end of the day, I’m only as good as the worst person. . . . If we lose, I just don’t want it to be like I didn’t do everything I could to make everyone else around me [better],” he said. “I think last year I didn’t check that box and that’s something I want everyone on the same level.”
That doesn’t mean Parsons will abandon his podcast, a side hustle for which players like safety Malik Hooker have called him out.
“I don’t think no one really cares what I’m doing on a Monday afternoon,” Parsons said. “I’m at home with my kids. Why would [fans] care if I’m on Xbox? We all get our free time.”
Still, perception is reality. And if he truly wants to lead others, he needs to consider how they will perceive the way he chooses to spend his time.