Cowboys' Micah Parsons makes feelings crystal clear on tanking after arresting 5-game slide vs Texans
On Sunday, Micah Parsons and the Dallas Cowboys' five-game losing streak came to an end after they pulled off a surprise 34-26 win over the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium.
The game seemed destined to go to overtime after quarterback Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin had combined for an 86-yard touchdown in the final minute. However, kicker Austin Seibert missed the extra-point attempt, forcing the Commanders to attempt an onside kick, which safety Juanyeh Thomas returned for a touchdown.
As thrilling as the win was and as relieved as the Cowboys are about ending their five-game losing streak, the victory means little in the grand scheme of things. On the contrary, it could hurt them in the long run, as it knocked them down in the 2025 NFL draft order, but Micah Parsons isn't concerned about that.
The superstar linebacker said that he isn't thinking along the same line as fans and perhaps the front office, who believe the best course of action is to lose as many games as possible to get high picks in the upcoming draft. Parsons told reporters that as long as he's on the team, the Cowboys won't tank.
"I’m not done yet (with this season). I don’t plan on tanking. If the higher-ups are looking for a draft pick, I hope that’s ruined, because we got a lot of football left to play. As long as I’m a part of this team, we’re always going to fight," Micah Parsons said in a post-game interview.
Cowboys' 2025 NFL draft pick: Win in Washington costs Dallas two spots
After Week 11, the 3-7 Cowboys were in ninth spot in the 2025 NFL draft order and firmly in the hunt for the fifth pick. However, their surprise win over the Commanders in Week 12 saw them improve to 4-7 and drop to 11th in the order.
Three teams above them are on two wins, while five have three victories. It'd take several miraculous victories for the teams above them and a slew of beatdowns for the Cowboys to climb up the draft order.
Having a dismal campaign is already soul-crushing. But not being bad enough to yield a high draft pick and a franchise cornerstone is an even worse outcome. Dallas now finds itself in limbo, and it remains to be seen whether they commit to winning as many games as possible or decide to tank the rest of the way.