On Wednesday, a video clip from the Dallas Cowboys‘ Week 1 loss to the Giants made the rounds on social media, spreading among Cowboys reporters, observers and radio talkers until the bulk of the team’s Twitter/X followers had seen it and weighed in. The video showed new defensive coordinator Christian Parker giving what appeared to be some tough lessons to rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham while Barham, teary-eyed and agitated, spoke a few words before walking away and shrugging off Parker, seemingly in frustration.
The video appeared to start with fan Jody Dean, who wrote, “I saw this clip from @WFAA several days ago and couldn’t get it out of my head. I hope Christian Parker succeeds, but this doesn’t feel good at all.”
Cowboys’ Christian Parker on Jaishawn Barham Video
On Thursday at Cowboys practice, Parker was slated to talk with the media in a well-timed press conference. Already under fire for the way Dallas struggled in the opener, Parker was asked about the Barham video.
Via The Athletic’s Jon Machota: “I think he was frustrated. It was his first NFL game. Things aren’t going to be perfect. This isn’t a fairytale at all. Jaishawn cares as much as anybody in that locker room about us winning, No. 1, but No. 2 our defensive performance.”
Cowboys’ Christian Parker: ‘Have to Channel it Better’
Parker suggested that Barham was more frustrated with himself than with the Cowboys coaches. And there’s little doubt that he struggled, especially after coming on to replace DeMarvion Overshown, who injured his hamstring in the second half.
Said Parker: “He was a little frustrated with himself and frustrated with our side of the ball (with how) we played. I don’t think anyone in our building has any doubt about what he’s gonna do coming real soon. We don’t have any reservations about his mentality. We welcome that passion. Have to channel it better. That’s something that young players have to go through. It’s a natural progression.
“We got a lot of confidence in Jaishawn.”
Jaishawn Barham Still Very Raw
Certainly, the emotion from Barham–who gained a reputation for being stoical this summer during training camp, was jarring. That’s not to say there’s no crying in football, but there’s usually not much crying in Week 1. Still, as Parker mentioned, the Cowboys are very high on the potential of the hard-hitting Barham who was one of the stars of the preseason. He was floated as a potential starter at the Mike linebacker even then.
But Barham is still very raw.
Remember, one of the knocks on Barham, and one of the reasons he was still around when Dallas was on the board in the third round of the draft, was that despite having been an impressive and well-built–he is 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, with a 4.64 40-yard dash time–prospect, no one could quite figure out where to play him. He was an off-ball linebacker for the Wolverines, but did a lot of his best work on the defensive line as an edge rusher.
As a tweener, he had a lot to learn about being a middle linebacker–and still does.
Cowboys’ Christian Parker Opens up on ‘Frustrated’ Rookie’s Viral Video