Cowboys' Micah Parsons rebuts Malik Hooker's critique of his podcasting habits

Malik Hooker took to a podcast to question Micah Parsons‘ proclivity for podcasting.

The Cowboys safety spoke for nearly an hour on a Thursday episode of All Facts No Brakes with Keyshawn Johnson about a myriad of Dallas topics, but the take that got the most attention — including from his edge-rushing teammate — had to do with his belief that Parsons must be careful to ensure he remains locked in during the season.

Hooker advised Micah, “Focus on the task at hand and ensure everything is okay. If we’re struggling with our run game at work, but you’re busy doing a weekly podcast, it’s worth asking: what is your priority? Is it pleasing the podcast audience or working towards our team’s success and our goal of reaching the Super Bowl?”

Parsons responded to the critique in a post on social media, which has since been deleted.

“Just wish you said this to me but instead on some podcast! And you got my number family! @MalikHooker24 and you my locker mate!” his post read, per The Dallas Morning News. “So you coulda said this any day! And you do realize I shoot the podcast on our off day! I why ain’t we talking about everyone preparations and focus.”

Parsons kicked off his podcast, The Edge with Micah Parsons, in 2023 to coincide with the start of the regular season, and he released episodes weekly to share his reactions to recent games, both the Cowboys’ and others across the league.

He approached the show with openness and candid viewpoints, frequently resulting in memorable quotes. However, his time spent behind a microphone appears to have had no impact on his field preparation throughout the first year.

Parsons, the spearhead of Dallas’ defense, recently achieved a personal best of 14 sacks, and in his three-season NFL career, he’s never recorded less than 13. He’s consistently ranked no lower than third in the Defensive Player of the Year contest. Since Parsons joined, the Cowboys defense has been a formidable force. The team has ranked in the top 10 for scoring in three consecutive seasons, a feat not accomplished since the 1990s – a golden era that the franchise’s fans yearn to relive.

In addition, the Cowboy way somewhat involves vocally engaging narratives, guided by the team’s owner Jerry Jones.

But Hooker is still entitled to his opinion on how best to approach any incoming hiccups in switching from Dan Quinn’s scheme to the one installed by new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. A 15-game starter last year, he’s an important veteran voice whose philosophies could also keep incoming rookies like defensive lineman Marshawn Kneeland, linebacker Marist Liufau and defensive back Caelen Carson grounded.

The remarks about Parsons’ podcasting from his teammates were mostly harmless, but the subject could be brought up again if the Cowboys face more challenges in the regular 2024 season than they have in previous years.