Category: PSU in NFL

Micah Parsons explains why Penn State players are prepared for smooth transition to NFL

Micah Parsons reflects on why he and other Penn State players are prepared for a smooth transition to the NFL.

Former Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons may be coming off one of the most impressive rookie seasons we have seen in quite some time, but the reigning defensive rookie of the year is already setting his sights on what he and the rest of his team can do better in 2022.

Parsons took some time to answer some questions looking back on his incredible rookie season with the Dallas Cowboys and looking ahead to 2022 in a sitdown interview with CBS Sports. Among the topics covered in the interview included his first impressions of some NFL quarterbacks, where he and the Cowboys can improve before next season and whether or not he accomplished everything he wanted in 2021.

Parsons let it be known not every goal was met in 2021, mostly on the team side of things as the Cowboys fell short of a Super Bowl championship, but he did accomplish some of his goals in his rookie season.

“I wanted to complete the year healthy and help the Cowboys to the playoffs,” Parsons said when asked about his goals for 2021. “I wanted to help take the Cowboys to the Super Bowl and become a leader on the team. I accomplished almost all of them.”

Parsons also addressed growing up as a football fan in Harrisburg, and not having any allegiance to the more local teams like the Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers or Baltimore Ravens. Parsons said it was different growing up in central PA, but he did have a number of players around the league he looked up to as he worked on his own game.

“When I was coming out, Devin White was setting the standard. You look at Luke (Kuechly) setting the standard for linebackers before he retired,” P{arsons reflected. “You’re looking at players that played the position at an elite level and are fast like Bobby (Wagner). Those fast, make-a-lot-of-plays linebackers were who I was looking at.”

Parsons is just one of the latest players to come out of Penn State and make a smooth transition to the NFL. The former Penn State linebacker was asked what Penn State and head coach James Franklin do that allows for that trend to continue.

“They’re structured and disciplined. I was so prepared because of Coach Franklin,” Parsons explained. “He made sure you attended meetings, paid attention to detail — basically coached you to be a pro. He could easily be a NFL coach. His whole program was designed for you to prepare for the next level, whether it’s on the field or off the field.”

Don’t think for one second that quote won’t be highlighted by Franklin and his entire staff when out on the recruiting trail. Now with a defensive rookie of the year and an offensive rookie of the year (Saquon Barkley) under their watch, Penn State has another terrific selling point to use in the recruiting process.

You can read the full interview with Parsons on CBS Sports.

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NFL writer says Bucs must sign Chris Godwin

CBS Sports NFL writer says the Tampa ay Bucs must make signing Chris Godwin a top priority this free agency season.

The rumblings in the NFL free agent waters are suggesting the Tampa Bay Bucs would ideally like to keep former Penn State wide receiver Chris Godwin in their future plans. And according to one NFL writer, that is at the top of the Bucs to-do list this free-agent season.

CBS Sports NFL writer Cody Benjamin ran through the free agent from each NFL franchise and labeled the one free agent each franchise must resign this offseason. When it came to the Bucs, the answer was pretty obvious. Here is what Benjamin had to say about the Bucs and Godwin;

Mike Evans would help offset Godwin’s potential loss, but in today’s NFL, you often need at least two big-time pass catchers to be considered a true contender. CB Carlton Davis is another huge priority on the other side of the ball.

It was reported this week by an NFL writer in Tampa the Bucs do find it the ideal situation to come to terms with Godwin on a long-term deal even though the former franchise tag player is coming off a torn ACL. The injury may play to Tampa’s advantage as the market value may have been diminished to some degree as a result of the serious injury, but that doesn’t mean Godwin should just accept a lesser deal just because of any potential hometown discount.

Godwin is considered among the top wide receiver free agents this offseason and the future of the Bucs could be in flux right now with the retirement of quarterback Tom Brady.

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Micah Parsons is heading to WrestleMania

Micah Parsons accepted Randy Orton’s invite to WrestleMania, and he’ll be ready to tag in if needed.

Former Penn State linebacker has been building quite an impressive collection of hardware after his rookie season in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys. The NFL’s defensive rookie of the year was crowned the fastest player in the NFL’s Pro Bowl skills competition after a stellar rookie season in Dallas. And now Parsons is heading to the crown jewel event of professional wrestling, WrestleMania.

No, Parsons isn’t about to enter the ring for a title match, although who would doubt his chances at this point. But he did accept an invitation to attend WrestleMania from WWE superstar Randy Orton.

As mentioned by Orton in his social media video, WrestleMania will be held in AT&T Stadium, the home of Parsons’ Dallas Cowboys. Parsons, who wrestled in grade school, was quick to accept the invite and it seems he’ll be ready to step into the ring if needed.

And who knows. Given the wild nature of the WWE, maybe Parsons will find himself in the ring with a belt on the line. And thanks to the WWE gifting Parsons a belt for his defensive rookie of the year award, we already know what Parsons looks like with the championship belt draped across his shoulder.

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Will Bucs keep Chris Godwin in Tampa?

Former Penn State wide receiver Chris Godwin could still be a part of the future plans for the Tampa Bay Bucs this NFL offseason.

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Former Penn State wide receiver Chris Godwin is considered one of the top receivers on the NFL’s free-agent market this offseason. Despite suffering a torn ACL late in the 2021 regular season, Godwin’s free-agent outlook is still considered pretty good, and he may not even have to pack his bags when all is said and done.

According to Rick Stroud, who covers the NFL for the Tampa Bay Times, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would prefer to keep Godwin as a part of its organization.

The Bucs and Godwin could not come to terms on a long-term deal last offseason after Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl championship run, but the Bucs placed Godwin on a franchise tag for the 2021 season with the intent of continuing to work on keeping the former Nittany Lion a part of the franchise’s plans beyond the 2021 season. Although Godwin is set to become an unrestricted free agent, it makes sense the Bucs would want to continue to try making Godwin a part of their offseason plans.

Godwin has been a key player for the Bucs. Tampa Bay is, of course, going through a bit of a significant transition this offseason with the retirement of quarterback Tom Brady. But if the Bucs can keep a number of key players in place, they can figure out how to fill in the massive void at the quarterback situation through free agency or the trade market (Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson?) or take a plunge in the NFL draft for a quarterback of the future.

How much value Godwin will get in free agency remains to be seen and could be hurt by the fact he is coming off a torn ACL. His max value may have been diminished as an effect, but Godwin still should be signing a rewarding contract this offseason whether it is with Tampa Bay or not.

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CBS Sports writer suggests Giants trade Saquon Barkley

CBS Sports NFL writer suggests New York Giants trade Saquon Barkley this offseason.

Former Penn State running back Saquon Barkley has been one of the most entertaining running backs the NFL has to offer when he is on the field for the New York Giants. But the number of games the former No. 2 overall pick and Offensive Rookie of the Year has had to miss with the Giants has led one national NFL writer to suggest the franchise strongly consider moving Barkley in a trade this offseason.

Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports ran through a list of eight players around the NFL he feels should be explored as trade pieces during the offseason. Among the players mentioned by Benjamin was none other than one of the best offensive players to come through Happy Valley.

Here is what Benjamin had to say about Barkley as a possible trade piece for the Giants;

New York could certainly hang onto the former first-rounder as a guinea pig for new coach Brian Daboll’s offense. But due $7.2M in a contract year, with a future extension likely to cost the Giants anywhere between $12M and $15M per year, they should be seeking any reasonable offers they can get. Barkley is just 25 with freakish (and often injured) physical tools, but that money would be better spent on fixing QB, the O-line, and pretty much every other position. They could also use any extra picks for their rebuild.

While this suggestion may turn off a certain segment of the Penn State fanbase that also happens to be supporters of the G-Men, it is a fair point to consider for the Giants front office.

As noted by Benjamin, the franchise is once again trying to start something new with a brand new head coach in Brian Daboll. And the lifespan of even the best running backs in the NFL is short compared to other positions. Barkley has already suffered one torn ACL for the majority of one season in his first four years. As physically gifted as Barkley is and as much as he works, the historical trends for running backs after five years is difficult to ignore if you are sitting in the Giants front office and realizing how many other positions are in need of being improved. Most notably, the quarterback and offensive line.

Penn State fans know too well the value of having a good offensive line, and the Giants are embarrassingly in the same position after trying to draft a franchise running back and quarterback in recent years and have yet to make a playoff appearance with them.

Should the Giants consider trading Barkley? If so, where should Barkley be traded? Share your thoughts on this topic in the comment section below or by reaching out to us on Twitter.

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Super Bowl champion Nick Scott returns to Penn State for THON

From winning a Super Bowl to making a return to Happy Valley for THON, it was a busy week for Nick Scott.

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It was quite a week for former Penn State star Nick Scott. On Sunday, he celebrated a victory in the Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams. And on Saturday, he capped his week-long celebration with a return to Happy Valley for the biggest event on the Penn State calendar, THON.

Scott made the journey to the Bryce Jordan Center for Penn State’s annual dance marathon raising money to help families with children fighting cancer. Naturally, Scott showed up wearing his Rams jersey and he received a warm welcome as he took the stage to address the crowd gathering inside the arena for the weekend.

THON clearly has a special spot in Scott’s heart that dates back to his college days. In 2018, Scott made the decision to participate in THON as a dancer rather than as a part of the football program, saying he wanted to leave an impact without a football uniform on.

Scott wasn’t the only former Nittany Lions showing up this weekend. Joining Scott in his return to Happy Valley was Pittsburgh Steelers rookie tight end Pat Freiermuth.

It is certainly good to see THON back to being the kind of event it is designed to be after the last couple of years. Every dollar raised is for an excellent cause. We’ll wait to see what the grand total is for this year’s raised total.

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Jason Cabinda locks in NFL contract extension

Former Penn State linebacker signs an NFL contract extension

One former Penn State linebacker may have been taking home the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year Award in a landslide, but another has signed a contract extension to continue being a fullback. Jason Cabinda agreed to a two-year contract extension with the Detroit Lions on Thursday, as noted by Lions Wire.

Cabinda has found his home with the Lions as a fullback, a position he has manned for the team each of the past two seasons. The contract extension allows Cabinda to avoid having to go through free agency and lock him in through the end of the 2023 season.

Cabinda scored his first career touchdown for the Lions last season. At the fullback position, Cabinda is relied on more for his blocking ability than scoring, but he has been a key part of the running game’s efforts in Detroit.

The financial terms of Cabinda’s new contract had not been reported.

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Twitter reacts to Micah Parsons winning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year

Saquon Barkley congratulated Micah Parsons and other Twitter reactions to Parsons being named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year

Former Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons took home the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year Award for the 2021 season, as voted unanimously by AP voters. It was, perhaps, a foregone conclusion that Parsons would take home the award after a stellar season for the Dallas Cowboys after being drafted No. 12 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, but that was no reason to not celebrate the award in the Penn State Twitterspehere.

Penn State fans, players, coaches, and more shared their congratulations with Parsons, including a former rookie of the year, running back Saquon Barkley.

Parsons, of course, had his own reaction to share, with a warning for those standing in his way next season already being issued.

Here are some of the other reactions found on Twitter following Parsons’ latest achievement.

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Micah Parsons unanimously named NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year

Micah Parsons obliterated the competition for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2021

Was there ever any doubt who the best defensive rookie in the NFL was in 2021? Of course not. And on Thursday evening, the NFL made it official. Micah Parsons was unanimously voted the NFL’s AP Defensive Rookie of the Year after an absolutely stunning debut season with the Dallas Cowboys.

And, just to remind everyone where Parsons came from, he opened up his acceptance speech by responding to a “We Are” chant from the crown with the appropriate response.

Parsons is the first Penn State player to win the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year since Shane Conlan won the award in 1987 with the Buffalo Bills. Parsons just complete one of the most dominant rookie seasons the NFL has ever seen, and it is one that has him in the running for NFL Defensive Player of the Year as well.

Parsons completed his rookie season with the Cowboys by recording a franchise rookie record 13.0 sacks and 64 tackles in 16 games played. He also forced three fumbles.

And if he’s just getting started in the NFL, watch out!

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Micah Parsons wins professional Butkus Award

Micah Parsons finally joins some notable former Penn State linebackers in the Butkus Award club

Micah Parsons has only played one season in the NFL, but he may already be in need of getting a new shelf for some awards. On Tuesday, Parsons was named the NFL’s Butkus Award winner as the league’s best linebacker for the 2021 season.

Parsons is the second player from Penn State to win the NFL version of the Butkus Award. He joins NaVorro Bowman, who took home the award in 2013 with the San Francisco 49ers. Other past professional Butkus Award winners have included TJ Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Von Miller, and DeMarcus Ware. Parsons is the second Cowboys player to win the Butkus Award, with Ware doing so twice in 2008 and again in 2011.

Penn State has a good history with the Butkus Award, of course. Although Parsons never won the award while in college, Paul Posluszny (2005) and LaVar Arrington (1999) each won the award in college.

This year’s college Butkus Award winner was Georgia’s Nakobe Dean, who also won the high school Butkus Award in 2018.

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