OXNARD, Calif. — Leadership is what Micah Parsons is after in 2024 because, after all, if the pride starves, the lion has failed. It's something he feels can take the Dallas Cowboys to the next level in their mission to finally end a decades-long championship drought, and he's put a lot of time this offseason not only into trying to perfect his physical form, but also his mental one.
It's a version of Parsons that appears more enlightened and self-aware than in his first two seasons with the Cowboys and, to his own admission, an area he felt needed drastic improvement.
"I don't want it to be like, 'I didn't do everything I could to make everyone better around me,'" said the three-time All-Pro pass rusher. " Last year, I didn't check that box."
Parsons was exceptionally candid in detailing his approach to it all, and that included a conversation not only with Cowboys' teammates, but he also literally sat down to dinner with NFL legends such as Tom Brady, Andrew Whitworth, Richard Sherman, Ray Lewis — amongst others — to actively seek counsel on how he could improve as a leader; and not simply as a player.
His relationship with Brady is evident, and explains why the two were seen having a detailed conversation ahead of the Cowboys' preseason opener against the Los Angeles Rams.
It all lends to a comprehensive approach from Parsons.
"Honestly, it was a deep conversation [teammates and I] had last year before the playoffs and guys were like, 'You've gotta bring us along with you, and you can't be on this journey alone, if you're mister All-Pro,'" Parsons explained before pausing for reflection and then continuing. "It was a reality check for me. I went to my mentors this offseason like, 'How do I approach this? How do I get better at this because this is a task I've never had to take on in my life?
"My whole life it's been 'Micah's gonna do what Micah's gotta do,' and I just expected everyone else to do that."
It's an approach that got Parsons to where he is today, true enough, but not one he feels will get him any further in his journey toward a Super Bowl and potentially the Hall of Fame.
"You learn that leadership means some people do need a pat on the back and some people do need a push that tells them you need a little bit more out of [them], because everyone's not built the same and everyone doesn't have the same mindset," he said. "I think it was a harsh reality check within myself. I've gotta do what I gotta do to make myself better, but also to bring along other guys. I feel like I needed that, and I'm glad I had that conversation early on [in my career]."
There can be no denying the talent of Parsons, a generational talent and athlete who can change the course of an entire game. The goal has to be bigger though, and that's to change the course of an entire locker room for the better.
Entering his fourth year in the league, the 25-year-old is already beginning to figure out what many around the league, and in life, may never quite grasp fully.
"I want everyone on the same level," said Parsons. "That's why you constantly see me running in the middle of practice. I wanna make sure — I can't preach something and not do it. They've gotta see me doing it.
"They've gotta see if I'm not doing this, then I'm running, because I've gotta be in the best shape for them and for me, so I'm just trying to show so much positive leadership so it's like, 'Man, if Micah is doing it, then I've gotta do it or I'm not gonna save nothing about it. I just wanna check all the boxes so that when the playoffs and the season come around, everybody is locked in, we're all on the same page and it'll be like a breath of fresh air."
The air inside of AT&T Stadium was anything but fresh on January 14, 2023.
That's when the Cowboys' defense allowed Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers to march onto the turf in Arlington and have a field day with no permission slips needed. Love led the Packers on three touchdown drives and 41 offensive points that evening. It was the most scored against the Cowboys defense at home all season and the second-most they'd allowed since their 42-10 loss to the 49ers in San Francisco in Week 5.
From heavily mentoring Mazi Smith to being intensely involved with the recovery of Trevon Diggs from a torn ACL, and his newfound exuberant energy in the locker room and on the sidelines that eclipses his the usual cybernetic vibe he once deployed, it's downright a different Parsons taking the field for the Cowboys this season.
And that's due to accountability, awareness and effort – not coincidence.
"I'm trying to find every characteristic from winning teams," said Parsons. " … You've gotta find characteristics from winning teams and [try] to bring it over to your team. All of these teams are different, but they all have similarities. … That's why I'm so drawn to [greats] like [Michael Jordan] and Derek Jeter, and Michael Strahan.
"It's because they have so much greatness and they all have characteristics, or something that I can pull from that I can bring here."
One attribute they all have in common is leadership, and Parsons sees that now. Nowadays, there is only one type of pride he's concerned with strengthening.
It appears he's been cleansed of the other kind.
