Cowboys' Micah Parsons Has Olympics Fever; Leaving Football For 2028 Games?

Maybe it was seeing Tom Cruise "Mission Impossible" the Olympic flag from Paris to Los Angles. Perhaps it's his seemingly stagnant contract extension negotiations. Could be the disgust of watching the Dallas Cowboys' defense intercept four passes Sunday afternoon at L.A.'s SoFi Stadium , only to make grueling mistakes in the final two minutes of a 13-12 preseason loss to the Rams.

Or, just maybe Micah Parsons honestly does have "Olympics fever" because the sport of Flag Football will debut when the Summer Games go to Southern California in 2028.

Whatever the reason - sometimes we're confounded by Parsons' motivations - the Cowboys' All-Pro edge rusher jumped on social media Sunday night and created a stir by claiming he was going to pause his football career to get ready instead to be an Olympic athlete.

Wrote Parsons , "After 2027 ima take a break from football to prepare for the Olympics!"

He followed that up by asking his followers for advice on which sport he should attempt.

"I need to find a way to get in the Olympics by 2028!" he wrote. "What events yall think I can do?? Need ideas!!"

While commenters offered a variety of suggestions ranging from "breakdancing" to "bobsled," one NFL analyst and former player seemed to have some serious advice.

"Just be the rusher in Flag Football," said ex Washington quarterback-turned-NFL analyst Robert Griffin III. "Most important position on the team. You have speed and are agile. It’s perfect for you."

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It's not the first time Parsons has openly dreamed about participating in the Olympics. Last Fall he also hinted about playing on the U.S. Flag Football team.

“I’m going on the U.S. Team,” Parsons said. “I’m gonna go win an Olympic gold medal because I can’t do it in track and I can’t do it anything else but I know I can play some flag football. I think I might be playing offense for the guys."

There actually is precedent for an elite Cowboys' pass-rusher to halt his career for another sport. In 1979 Pro Bowl defensive end Ed "Too Tall" Jones retired to become a professional boxer. But that lasted only one year, and he returned to the team and resumed his All-Pro status.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones may be lukewarm on his "urgency" to sign CeeDee Lamb, but now - wink, we think - there is a four-year window to win a Super Bowl with Parsons before he stops chasing football championship rings for Olympic rings.