The big matchup is coming up this Sunday at AT&T Stadium, and you know what that means – Micah Parsons is heading back to his old stomping grounds. The former Cowboys star is now a member of the Packers, thanks to a trade that went down just a week before the season kicked off. During his four-year stint in Dallas, Parsons racked up an impressive 52.5 sacks, solidifying his spot as one of the top defensive players in the league.
But don’t expect the Cowboys to roll out the red carpet for their former teammate. In fact, team owner Jerry Jones made it clear that they won’t be recognizing Parsons before the game. When asked about it, Jones said, “I don’t think that’s appropriate this way.” He drew a distinction between Parsons’ situation and that of Emmitt Smith, the legendary running back who played for the Cowboys for 13 seasons and set the NFL rushing record before moving on to the Cardinals. Jones seemed to imply that Smith’s lengthy tenure and storied career with the team made him more deserving of a warm welcome.
Jones’ comments suggest that the Cowboys are more focused on game-planning for Parsons than giving him a hero’s welcome. As he put it, “We just need to show we’ve got antidotes for that.” It’s clear that the team is looking to prove they can contain Parsons and come out on top, rather than getting caught up in nostalgia for their former star. Should be a fascinating matchup – can the Cowboys find a way to slow down Parsons and take down the Packers? We’ll have to tune in on Sunday to find out.
