Dallas Cowboys staff reward Micah Parsons for big performance vs Vikings

Dallas Cowboys rookie linebacker and defensive end Micah Parsons has starred in his first season. The former Penn State star received plenty of recognition for his outstanding play in Week Eight after an impressive outing against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football.

Micah Parsons was awarded the game ball after 11 tackles helped leads the Cowboys to a 20-16 win, featuring backup quarterback Cooper Rush. He spoke with the media after about the tremendous honor, and what led to his big day.

“I felt like I was able to anticipate what they were doing, and just played ball,” Parsons said, via The Athletic’s Jon Machota.

More about Micah Parsons

Micah Parsons played two seasons for the Penn State Nittany Lions, including a stellar 2019 season. In 2019, he ranked third in the Big Ten in total tackles, amassing 109 total and five sacks.

In 2020, Parsons opted not to play in the Penn State season citing concerns over health and safety.

His decision not to play did not set him back in the NFL Draft. The Dallas Cowboys took him with pick No. 12 in the first round. He signed a four-year, $17,079,793 contract, including a $9,781,668 signing bonus.

Cowboys rookie named NFC Defensive Player of the Week

In addition to his game ball, Dallas Cowboys rookie Micah Parsons earned the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his Week Eight performance on Sunday Night Football against the Minnesota Vikings.

The first-round draft pick out of Penn State had 11 tackles with two tackles for loss and a QB hit on Sunday night. He was all over the field and helped the Cowboys limit Minnesota to 278 total yards in the 20-16 win. He also saw nine targets on 32 coverage snaps and allowed only 15 yards and one first down while recording four passing stops, according to PFF.

The Dallas Cowboys defense allows 23.1 points per game while the offense is averaging 32.1 points per game. Since losing the season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Cowboys are 6-0 with solid defensive numbers. They play three teams at, or below, .500 over the next few weeks.

Micah Parsons ranked No. 1 amongst rookies through four weeks, according to NFL analyst Daniel Jeremiah. Parsons has kept it up through Week 8, tallying 42 total tackles (30 solo), 2.5 sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss and two passes defended.

“His pass-rush ability has been a huge lift for the Cowboys,” Jeremiah wrote. “I love his combination of speed and range against the run, too.”