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Few Dallas Cowboys players had the kind of career that DeMarcus Ware accomplished in Big D — 117.0 sacks, seven Pro Bowls, four All-Pro seasons across nine years— which means his praise of the team’s defense carries a lot of weight.
During an exclusive interview with Heavy, Ware discussed everything from his assessment of the Cowboys to his partnership with USAA.
During HBO’s Hard Knocks, one of the clips that went viral was Ware working with rookie linebacker Micah Parsons. Ware admitted that Parsons continues to be “on my radar” and described the defender as “showing up and showing out” to start his NFL career.
“I think, as a rookie, Micah Parsons has really been showing up and showing out,” Ware told Heavy. “He’s been progressing, I told him, ‘Go out there and just play comfortable,’ and you can see him doing that.
“They’ve taken a lot of responsibilities from him, and letting him get out there and just play and make plays. … He’s been doing really well and hopefully he keeps progressing like he’s doing. But that’s one of the guys I’ve really been looking at on my radar, and he’s been doing his thing.”
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Cowboys See Similarities Between Ware & Parsons
After meeting with Ware, Parsons noted “that’s my guy” when referencing the Cowboys legend, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. Through his first nine NFL games, Parsons notched 58 tackles, 6.0 sacks and a forced fumble.
Cowboys vice president of player personnel Will McClay noted that there are some similarities between Parsons and Ware.
“There are some elements of [Parsons’] game that compare to DeMarcus’ game with his suddenness,” McClay told ESPN in September 2021. “And then DeMarcus developed into such a technician with his pass rush. Initially, he was going off his God-given talent, but there are some comparisons there. But Micah is kind of an enigma. He can do so many different things.”
Ware on Quinn’s Defense: ‘Guys Are Just Beating People Because They’re Just Better’
Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has generated a lot of buzz for receiving the game ball after the team’s 43-3 blowout win over the Falcons in Week 10. Quinn’s impact goes beyond just one game as the Cowboys are a top-10 defense this season allowing just 21.7 points per contest. Ware cited confidence as the biggest difference he sees in the defense under Quinn.
“I see a lot of the players playing with confidence,” Ware told Heavy. “Confidence breeds more confidence which creates huge plays, and they’re playing it really simple. But the guys are just beating people because they’re just better and that’s what you want. You don’t want to make it so complicated that the guys don’t know what they are doing and not as confident.
“They’re playing very confident, they’re doing what they need to do. The skies the limit for ’em if they keep playing like they’ve been playing the last six games.”
Ware Encourages Fans to Use #HonorThroughAction to Celebrate Veterans
Ware has gone from playing for America’s team to honoring America’s veterans through his latest partnership with USAA. The former NFL pass rusher is urging fans to get involved and do their part in supporting veterans by using the #HonorThroughAction on social media posts.
“We’re just trying to do a big call to action, right, something very simple, everything is virtual,” Ware told Heavy. “What you do, on the palm of your hand, you draw a ‘V’, and you go to a veteran-owned company, and once you take that picture you post it on your page with #HonorThroughAction. We’re trying to honor the vets through action and their companies and everything.”
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