FRISCO, Texas – At this point, Micah Parsons' hardware collection is going to look pretty slick.
True, it might not be complete with the Super Bowl ring he'd prefer to have. But for a guy who just reached the NFL nine months ago, Parsons' memorabilia collection is looking awfully impressive.
The NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award speaks for itself. Parsons also has a Pro Bowl nod and a first-team All-Pro selection. On Wednesday, WWE chipped in with a commemorative Rookie of the Year title belt – a nod to this year's impending Wrestlemania, happening at AT&T Stadium. And that goes perfectly with a handful of NFL Rookie of the Week belts, not to mention a handful of signed jerseys – from Patrick Mahomes to Trevor Lawrence.
"It's going to look pretty sweet, man," Parsons said on Wednesday. "Glad I could get everybody's jerseys and set my man cave up the right way after my first year."
It's been a hectic month for Parsons, who has bounced from the Pro Bowl to the Super Bowl and back since the Cowboys were bounced from the playoffs. During that time, he had plenty of opportunity to pick the brains of the NFL's elite, from current players to former legends. Notable among them, he said he had a chance to meet two of his idols at the linebacker position, Ray Lewis and Luke Kuechly.
"I got to talk to Luke and Ray Lewis, so two guys that I look up to," he said. "Luke's actually about 200 pounds right now. I didn't even recognize him at first. But a really good guy, a genuine guy. A guy I look forward to talking to again."
Kuechly and Lewis combined for three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards and 17 All-Pro selections across two phenomenal careers. Kuechly also won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year back in 2012 – the same year Lewis won his second Super Bowl championship with Baltimore.
Given those track records, it makes sense if Parsons is trying his best to heed the advice he's been given, as he said he's already back into the routine of keeping his workouts regular in anticipation of the offseason program.
"Ray Lewis told me 'We don't take breaks,' so I guess we don't take breaks," Parsons said.
Parsons spoke in January about the way the playoff loss fueled him, as several Cowboys players have admitted to how surprised and disappointed they were to see the season end so soon.
Having watched the L.A. Rams lift the trophy on Sunday night at SoFi Stadium, Parsons said he has a new appreciation for what it will take to get there.
"I was speaking to Zeke and Dak this weekend, telling them I'm looking forward to next year," he said. "That's what the mindset is. This is what it has to be. To get something you want, you've got to work for it. After seeing the Rams win it, and I was there to visualize and see what it looked like to be champion – I don't know what it takes because I haven't done it, but I've seen it and I've just got to do it the right way."
