NFL star Micah Parsons has opened up on his body transformation during the offseason.
The Dallas Cowboys star is on a mission to gain weight to withstand the physical battles he will face on the field. In order to achieve his goal, the outside linebacker has not attended his team’s voluntary workouts as he focuses on bulking up.
"It's hard battling 300-pound guys at 245 pounds every week," Parsons said per The Athletic's Jon Machota via the NFL website. "So, I'm just trying to put (on) five pounds of muscle. Just eating right and just living right."
Parsons suffered some injuries last season that hindered his performances in the latter stages of the last campaign. However, after his sensational campaign he is ready to move into a role as a full-time pass rusher, rather than playing as an off-the-ball linebacker.
He managed 13.5 sacks in just his second season in the NFL and earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors for the second time in his career. “Those are just growing pains,” Parsons said regarding his injuries. “I’m just ready to show what I can do.”
The athlete weighed 245 pounds and now clocks in at 251 pounds. “I just want to increase my explosiveness, add on weight the right way, sharpen it up, eating right and just doing anything possible that I can do the right way to be the best player I can be,” the 23-year-old added.
"It just allows me to study. Instead of studying everything, I can just study that one guy I just need to beat on Sunday, studying how to win faster. Before I was focused on a lot, focused on running backs and focused on receivers and focused on concepts. Now I can just focus on running [to the quarterback] and stopping the run. I'm ready to show what I can do."
The Dallas Cowboys were busy in last week’s NFL draft as they welcomed a new recruit in the form of a scout's son. Kansas State star Deuce Vaughn, the son of the Cowboys’ assistant director of college scouting Chris Vaughn, was selected after not hearing his name called through the first five rounds.
Deuces' emotional father said: "Look here, man, do you want to come to work with me next week?", with son Deuce responding: "I wouldn't mind that at all." Speaking to the media after the draft, Chris, who has been a Cowboys scout since 2017, added: "He is the hardest worker I know and I am very proud to be his dad. That is what this league is made of - to have something that you can't put a measurement on.
"He has earned this opportunity by doing it the right way. I am excited and so emotional. When it happened, there was a sense of relief. To make that phone call to him - just 15 minutes after when I spoke to him he was at his lowest... he is a really mentally strong person. But when I could make the call (to tell him he was drafted) - it was the best call ever."
