'Harsh Reality!' Micah Parsons Reveals NFL Legends Mentoring Him to Maturity

FRISCO — The upcoming season for the Dallas Cowboys carries significant weight for the franchise's future. The demand for postseason success has reached its apex and the future of several foundational pieces remains in limbo.

Floating within that chaos is the subplot of Micah Parsons' evolution. Advanced far beyond where most NFL players stand at this point in his career timeline, the focus shifts to his growth as a teammate and as a person.

The Cowboys will need Parsons to lead with more than just his play in 2024. Instead, this season tasks the defensive star with exercising leadership qualities.

“This is a task I never had to take on in my life. I think my whole life, I was pretty much, ‘Micah is going to do what Micah is going to do,'" said a reflective Parsons this week . "As you learn leadership, some people need a pat on the back and some people need a push up.”

Such introspection stems from conversations he had throughout the offseason with a list of mentors that included NFL greats such as Tom Brady and Ray Lewis. Those two, among others, have challenged him to develop his leadership skills.

He called their comments to him "a harsh reality and a reality check.''

Parsons is 25. He is a "grown-up kid.'' Our Mike Fisher, the long-time Cowboys beat writer, often refers to him as a "hyperactive kid,'' one way of explaining why Parsons finds himself involved in ... well, seemingly everything. He wants to play running back in practice. He wants to take a break from football to try out for the Olympics. He's on social media wasting time arguing with critics. He's offered up opinions on political issues (that he's later had to retract.) He wants to remind you (constantly) that he's got a podcast that deserves your attention.

Attention, attention, attention.

As CowboysCountry has noted before, champions from Michael Irvin to Rob Gronkowski have gone public in an effort to steer Parsons' focus to the only thing in football that ultimately matters.

As Irvin recently told Fisher, "There isn't enough time in the day to win championships without focusing on championships. What is Micah trying to win? Attention? Or a Super Bowl?''

That call to action adds to the burden on "the Lion's" shoulders, already tasked with adjusting to a new scheme under Mike Zimmer. Dallas defensive coordinator will utilize him across the formation, requiring him to exercise a comprehensive understanding of the system.

Related: Jerry Scouting Report On Zeke: 'You See The Power!'

Parsons will factor into the Cowboys future for the better part of a decade if he receives his expected contract extension next offseason. He will be a face of the franchise and of the league. He will be an elder statesman, the guy others eventually turn to as he's turned to Brady and Lewis.

The conversations with his mentors have helped him recognize that.

In some ways, Parsons needs to become a "new player'' and a "new person.'' Maybe it's a load for him to take on, or maybe in a twisty way it's a responsibility that is actually "freeing'' because it gives him such control.

Either way, it is a task that must be asked of one of the likely generational figures in the NFL.

Micah Parsons, to his credit, is now hearing the mentors. The next step: Is he listening?