Micah Parsons responds to Brian Schottenheimer's challenge after Cowboys HC claims to have "beat the sh*t" out of Dak Prescott
Never one to back down from a challenge, Micah Parsons seems to be up for what his new coach wants of him. On Thursday, Brian Schottenheimer said:
“I wanna play @MicahhParsons11. I've beat the sh*t out of Dak already. I want to play Micah. I'll put that out there and see if he takes the challenge.”
Parsons posted a picture with his tongue hanging out, ready to go to work.
The Pro Bowl linebacker took part in some individual pass rush drills on Wednesday. That was unexpected given that there’s still no new contract in place for the 26-year-old. The Cowboys All-Pro is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026.
His quarterback, Dak Prescott, is coming off a rough 2024 season that saw him play just eight games because of injuries. He had a stellar 2024 season, putting up a career-high 410 completions en route to a division title.
In four seasons with the club, Parsons has racked up at least a dozen sacks every time, posting 12 in 2024. The Cowboys missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 2020, finishing with a record of 7-10. Mike McCarthy was fired and Schottenheimer was promoted to head coach.
Parsons is set to make a base salary next season of over $24 million, per Spotrac. The Cowboys are hoping to turn around a dismal campaign defensively, giving up the fifth-most offensive yards in the previous regular season (355.2). At the same time, they were third in the league regarding team sacks with a total of 52.
Parsons calling on accountability defensively
Entering the final year of his contract, Parsons, who’s been a vocal leader on the Cowboys since arriving, had a clear message to his defense about taking responsibility.
Speaking to Sports Illustrated on Wednesday, he said:
“At the end of the day, everyone’s sh*t stinks. You can’t hide it. We’re all not perfect.”
The Cowboys hired a new defensive coordinator they hope will turn things around, with Matt Eberflus replacing Mike Zimmer at that spot.
Parsons instilling leadership in the locker room is a good start, according to reports, as this team looks to get back on track.
The Cowboys open their preseason campaign on August 9 when they travel to SoFi Stadium to face the Los Angeles Rams. They open the regular season on September 4 when they travel to Lincoln Financial Field to take on the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles.