Getty Images Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates.
Micah Parsons had no interest in showing up on TV after the Dallas Cowboys were crushed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1.
Parsons was set to begin his weekly appearances on FS1’s “Undisputed” on Tuesday alongside Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe and Skip Bayless. However, the All-Pro linebacker backed out, feeling it was better if he focused on football after a turbulent week in Dallas.
“My starting QB went down and we lost,” Parsons told reporters on September 14. “I just didn’t think it was appropriate for me to be on the show at that point. I need to step up and be a leader. It shouldn’t be on TV, it should be in this locker room. This is where my focus should be right now.”
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Micah Parsons on not appearing on that TV show on Tuesday following the #Cowboys loss:
“I didn’t think it was appropriate to be on the show at that point. We just lost our starting QB.
“… I think I need to be a leader now and that’s not on TV.”
It’s great leadership by the second-year stud, although the scrapped appearance appears to have come without much communication with the show, which Sharpe was not a fan of.
“I’m hopeful that after a couple weeks of them getting back to winning that he’d join us during the season, even if it’s not every week,” Sharpe said on the show Tuesday. “But I don’t understand why, after FS1 put the equipment in his house, he’d go radio silent. Just say, ‘Look, at this point in time I just want to focus on football. I’m sorry to have led you guys on but right now football is the most important thing and I’m not gonna be able to do it right now.'”
Micah parsons ghosted skip bayless & undisputed staff & will not be on undisputed today 😭
Micah still hurt from the loss 😭
Parsons said he had people in place to handle the cancelation but clearly the message didn’t get through.
“If there was a miscommunication on that part, I will correct that,” Parsons said. “I have nothing but love for Skip and Shannon. I wouldn’t just no-show anybody like that. A man is only as good as his word.”
Parsons explained there is still a chance he would do the show at a later time, although brighter times might still be a ways away with QB Dak Prescott sidelined for at least four weeks.
Cowboys Relying on Defense After Dak Prescott Injury
With Prescott out and Cooper Rush set to start in his place, the Cowboys will be relying on Parsons and the defense to guide the team to victory.
Against the Bucs, the Dallas defense had a bend-don’t-break mentality, allowing four field goals and just one touchdown. Parsons played every defensive snap, registering five tackles, two sacks and two tackles for loss.
“I’ve got to make sure I’m able to play every defensive snap,” Parsons said. “That’s something I want. I’m putting that chip on my shoulder. No one else is making me do this. I want to do this for this team. I just need to be out there. I don’t want to come off.”
Cowboys Hopeful to Stay Afloat With Cooper Rush
While the Cowboys were clear they’d explore all their options to fill in for Prescott at QB, the team is going with Rush against the Bengals on Sunday.
Rush started a game last year in relief of Prescott and was fairly impressive. He completed 24 of 40 passes for 325 yards with two touchdowns and an interception as the Cowboys eeked out a 20-16 win against Minnesota.
“You’ve got to go in, you’ve got to make things click as if ‘4’ [Prescott] was in there,” Rush told reporters on September 14. “We’ll draw on that experience from last year big time. You know, got my feet wet last year and getting out there [Sunday]. We’ll regroup as a team and a group on offense.”
With Rush at QB, Dallas finds itself as a touchdown underdog heading into the matchup with Cincinnati.