Micah Parsons burst onto the NFL scene in 2021 starting 16 games for the Dallas Cowboys, recording 84 tackles, 13 sacks and three forced fumbles. Parsons was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and was named first-team All-Pro and earned a trip to the Pro Bowl.
The 2021 season also happened to be Dan Quinn’s first as defensive coordinator for the Cowboys. Quinn had a vision for Parsons when he was drafted that he could be a dominant pass rusher, when others viewed him more as a traditional linebacker.
The bond between Parsons and Quinn was forged and strengthened over the past three seasons. Dallas finished in the top five in defensive DVOA, per FTN, and led the NFL in turnovers forced over those three seasons. Parsons racked up 40.5 sacks during this time.
Thanks to Quinn’s strong work in leading the Dallas defense, he received his second chance as a head coach in the offseason with the Washington Commanders. The Commanders and Cowboys are longtime NFC East rivals, and Parsons was sad to see his old boss go.
“Super happy for him, not because he went to a rival, just because, like I said, Q is like a big uncle to me,” Parsons said of Quinn. “I know how much this means for him, and I know the stuff he wanted to take. He stayed with me as long as he could, but I know any team out there is lucky to have him.”
Now that training camps have opened across the NFL, Parsons was recently asked about Quinn. While he still holds Quinn in high regard, he looks forward to going against him twice per year.
“He still checks in on me,” Parsons said, per Jon Machota of The Athletic. “That’s still my big uncle, someone I love very much. But at the end of the day, I got a job to do. And that’s kick his ass twice a year. We can hug afterwards.”
The arrival of Quinn in Washington should make the two Dallas/Washington games more interesting than they have been in recent years.
