‘Figured myself invincible’: Micah Parsons coming to grips with likelihood of sitting out Week 5

Heading into the Cowboys’ Week 4 game in New York, linebacker Micah Parsons was trying to avoid the first three-game losing streak in his football life.

Now he’s staring down a prospective barrel that upsets him even more.

The superstar defender, wearing a protective boot and using a scooter around The Star on Monday, seems hard-pressed to play this Sunday when the Cowboys visit Pittsburgh. If he has to sit due to the high-ankle sprain he suffered late in last Thursday’s win over the Giants, it will- incredibly- be the first game Parsons has ever missed, at any level, because of injury.

Parsons isn’t yet ready to concede.

“When you’re a real competitor, you only get 17 chances at this,” Parsons said, per Todd Archer of ESPN. “And missing one of these opportunities to perform at the highest level bothers me. I feel like I want to play on Sunday. If I can play, I will play, you know. To me, as long as I can run and move how I move, I want to play.”

Parsons is officially considered week-to-week, but the more realistic outlook points to him having to sit for at least one or even two games, considering Dallas has a bye after that.

“It’s just frustrating, for real,” he said, as reported by the team website. “You put a lot of energy into getting ready and being there for the team, so being out, this hurts me because I’m letting people down. I’m just letting people down. I figured myself invincible for a while.”

But the two-time All-Pro isn’t in total denial about his current prognosis. And he’s well aware that rushing back before his body is ready could mean a re-injury… and an even longer absence.

“It’s just going to come down to how I’m attacking this and getting right with Jim [Maurer, head trainer], and getting ahead of this, so that way I can get back as fast as possible. I’m just trying to get back as fast as possible, but I don’t want it to linger.”

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

The 25-year-old was held out of a game during his rookie season due to COVID protocol, but he says being sidelined with an actual injury is a new experience.

“Never,” said the three-time Pro Bowler. “Never in my whole life. I’ve never missed a game. I’ve played hurt and through pain, so, to me, playing through hurt isn’t really the problem.”

But that does seem to be the way things are looking, and not just to Parsons.

“He’ll be challenged to play this week. We’re preparing to play without him,” head coach Mike McCarthy said of Parsons to media members Monday.

“It’s definitely the unfortunate part of our game… It takes a lot of players to win in this league. Creates a great opportunity for others; that’s definitely our approach.”

So while Parsons may not lead his defensive teammates onto the field in Pittsburgh, he’s already started leading them in the week’s preparation.