Stephen A. Smith blasts 'asinine' idea of Cowboys trading Micah Parsons

During a recent episode of Unsportsmanlike on ESPN Radio, former Baltimore Ravens defensive lineman Chris Canty called for the Dallas Cowboys to trade star EDGE Micah Parsons and set a precedent for their culture. On Monday, First Take host Stephen A. Smith tore into Canty for his comments.

“That’s the most asinine thing I’ve ever heard come out of his mouth,” Smith said. “I’m not talking about trading Micah Parsons. I’m talking about the reasons he threw out. You want to trade Micah Parsons because you don’t have enough draft capital and you want to buffer that? Fine. You think trading Micah Parsons can get you additional assets elsewhere on the football field or a multitude of assets that exceed just that of one person? I’m good with that.

“My issue is the reasons he talked about… How the hell are you going to establish any culture when the person who does the most talking is Jerry Jones? Are you kidding me? You’re trying to tell me that Micah Parsons compromised the culture?”

Parsons’ future with the Cowboys is uncertain after reports emerged earlier this week claiming that the Cowboys have discussed moving on from the former Penn State standout instead of paying him $24 million for his fifth-year option in 2025.

Micah Parsons has previously discussed issues with the team’s culture on his podcast but has been optimistic about the Cowboys’ future under new head coach Brian Schottenheimer. On Thursday, Stephen A. Smith asserted that Parsons is helping the team’s culture more than hurting it.

“It makes no sense what [Canty is] saying,” Smith said. “You’re gonna talk about Micah Parsons compromising the culture of the Dallas Cowboys. This brother is elite at what he does. Now, he’s had moments when he hasn’t been but overall, we know who the hell Micah Parsons is and what kind of impact he can have, and what he brings to the table when he’s on that football field.

“He never gives up on his team or his teammates. For some reason, inexplicably, he believes in these cats. I guess it’s the right thing to do, but this brother is a monster. I’m certainly not gonna blame him for any culture issues involving the Dallas Cowboys. If anything, he elevates their culture.”

In his four seasons with the Cowboys, Parsons has been excellent. This past season, Parsons tallied 43 tackles and 12 sacks, the fifth-most in the league, despite missing four games due to injury. Smith believes Chris Canty is blaming the wrong person for the Cowboys’ culture issues.

“He doesn’t hurt the Dallas Cowboys in that locker room, and he certainly doesn’t hurt them when he’s healthy and on the field,” Smith said. “The person who may hurt them is the person who defines the culture, which is Jerry Jones.”