Micah Parsons has made a name for himself as one of the most dominant defenders in the NFL. With 52.5 sacks in just four seasons, the Dallas Cowboys linebacker is already on a Hall of Fame trajectory. But while his play on the field is nearly undisputed, his presence off the field has sparked plenty of debate-especially when it comes to his podcast, The Edge with Micah Parsons.
The weekly show, hosted through Bleacher Report and boasting 4.5 million YouTube subscribers, has made Parsons one of the most visible personalities in the NFL. He’s far from the only active athlete running a podcast-names like Travis Kelce, Maxx Crosby, and even NBA stars like Draymond Green and Jalen Brunson do the same. But somehow, Parsons keeps catching heat for it.
He would leave! Micah Parsons admits that he would not be part of the Dallas Cowboys if this happens
That criticism ramped up again this week when two NFL legends-Lawrence Taylor and DeMarcus Ware-suggested that Parsons should spend less time talking and more time focusing on football. Taylor, widely regarded as the greatest pass rusher of all time, didn’t hold back: “He’s a great player. But guys, let’s do more. Let’s play more football and less podcasts.”
Ware, a Cowboys great himself, took a more direct approach. In an interview with Fox Sports, he said that if he were on the Cowboys’ coaching staff, Parsons’ podcasting days-at least during the season-would be numbered.“He probably won’t be doing it during the season, I know he won’t be. Because he’ll be too focused on getting to the quarterback and just wreaking havoc in the backfield.”
Parsons fires back: ‘Why is my podcast a problem?’
Parsons didn’t let the criticism slide. In an X post Thursday, he fired back: “Lol i wonder do people hate my podcast because it’s actually good or do people hate it because it’s bad?? Because hella people in the NBA and NFL have podcasts and no one has a problem.”
This isn’t the first time Parsons has drawn criticism for speaking out. Back in November, he took issue with head coach Mike McCarthy after a blowout loss to the Eagles, a move that drew harsh words from ESPN analysts Rex Ryan and Damien Woody. Ryan called Parsons’ comments“total BS,” while Woody sarcastically referred to him as “podcast boy” and questioned whether he had lost respect in the locker room.
The debate over Parsons’ podcast isn’t just about media appearances-it’s happening as he enters the final year of his rookie contract. With the Cowboys expected to negotiate a lucrative extension, questions are swirling about whether his off-field presence could impact his future in Dallas. Some analysts believe Jerry Jones and the Cowboys front office won’t care as long as Parsons continues to dominate on Sundays. Others wonder if there’s a growing tension over how he balances football with his expanding media brand.
For now, Parsons doesn’t seem interested in backing down. Whether that becomes a problem for the Cowboys-or just more noise for him to tune out-remains to be seen.
