Dallas Cowboys’ Micah Parsons clapped back at Rex Ryan.AP
Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons didn’t hold back when commenting on his coaching staff after Sunday’s 34-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. In particular, his remarks about head coach Mike McCarthy created quite the buzz.
The edge rusher was asked after the game about McCarthy’s future.
“That’s above my pay grade, if Mike coaches again next year, he said, via NFL Media.
“All coaching aside, Mike can leave and go wherever he wants. Guys I kind of feel bad for [are] guys like Zack Martin and guys who might be on their last year or on their way out, because that’s who I wanted to hold the trophy for. You want to win games and do great things with those types of legends who put in more time and work than Mike McCarthy ever did.”
After those comments went viral, former Jets and Bills coach Rex Ryan went off on Parsons on ESPN’s “Get Up” on Monday morning.
“That’s total BS,” he said. “Coaches are there, some days, 20 hours a day for two or three days at least during the week. The hours they put in, it’s unmatched. Mike McCarthy, he doesn’t deserve this damn comment. He doesn’t, no coach does. There are some horrible coaches out there but none of them deserve this, the kind of work they put in as coaches, like, I’m just telling you.
“You’re giving up family time, you’re giving up all kinds of stuff in your life, and you’re going to get some ass– I don’t care how talented he is. That is absolutely BS.”
Parsons responded to Ryan on the latest episode of his podcast, “The Edge with Micah Parsons.”
“For a guy like Rex Ryan, I just know he wanted to coach the Cowboys,” Parsons said. “I’m perfectly happy that we have [Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer], because if we have a guy that’s willing to go on TV and provide this type of nonsense, imagine what he could do to a locker room. That’s just honestly outrageous to me.”
This offseason, Ryan interviewed for the Cowboys defensive coordinator job that ultimately went to Zimmer.
Ryan, 61, was Jets head coach from 2009 to 2014 and brought the team to consecutive AFC Championship Games in his first two years. He last worked in the NFL in 2016 as head coach of the Buffalo Bills. He served as defensive coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens from 2005 to 2008 and helped them win Super Bowl XXXV, 34-7, over the New York Giants. In 2017, he joined ESPN as an analyst.
