Micah Parsons has strong message to Cowboys about tanking

Nov 7, 2021; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons (11) before the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Denver Broncos at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Dallas Cowboys pulled off a wild win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday, and fans who are hoping for a high draft pick might have been disappointed with the result. Micah Parsons certainly was not.

The Cowboys defeated the Commanders 34-26 in a game that featured 41 fourth-quarter points at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md. Jayden Daniels found Terry McLaurin for an improbable 86-yard touchdown with 21 seconds left, but Washington missed the extra point. That was only part of the madness, which you can read about here.

With Dak Prescott out for the season, many believe the Cowboys should tank. Parsons said he has no intention of partaking in something like that, even if the team’s brass is in favor of it.

“I’m not done yet. I don’t plan on tanking,” Parsons said. “If the higher-ups are looking for a draft pick, I hope that’s ruined, because we got a lot of football left to play. As long as I’m a part of this team, we’re always going to fight.”

Cowboys DE Micah Parsons: "I’m not done yet. I don’t plan on tanking. If the higher-ups are looking for a draft pick, I hope that’s ruined, because we got a lot of football left to play. As long as I’m a part of this team, we’re always going to fight."

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) November 25, 2024

Dallas improved to 4-7 with the win over the Commanders. The odds of the Cowboys making the playoffs remain very slim, but Parsons’ stance is a reminder that players usually are not the ones tanking.

Losing is what costs players and coaches their jobs. If teams decide to tank, they do so primarily through roster construction. Dallas does not have a terrible roster, so they are probably going to win some games even without Prescott. That is just fine with Parsons.