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Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy exits the field after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, at AT&T Stadium.\u00a0Amanda McCoy<\/span>\u00a0amccoy@star-telegram.com<\/span><\/p>\n In his postgame availability after the\u00a0Cowboys\u2019 34-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles\u00a0on Sunday, defensive end Micah Parsons was asked about how he handles questions surrounding the\u00a0job status of head coach Mike McCarthy\u00a0and if the coach will return for a sixth season despite being on an expiring contract.<\/p>\n He could have easily deflected or poured support into the only head coach he\u2019s known in his NFL career. Instead, he was honest \u2013 maybe\u00a0too<\/i>\u00a0honest.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s above my pay grade for if I think Mike is coaching next year,\u201d Parsons said. \u201cMike can leave and go wherever he wants. The guys I kind of feel bad for are guys like Zack Martin who might be on their last year or on their way out, because that\u2019s who I wanted to hold the trophy for.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou 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. Those are the kind of guys that I have so much sympathy and hurt for.\u201d<\/p>\n To start, this quote will need some clarification from Parsons later this week. But from the surface, this is not a good look for a locker room that has previously been pretty consistent in showing support for McCarthy despite a season that is spiraling downhill at 3-6.<\/p>\n At the very least, Parsons let on that McCarthy \u2013 despite being in a contract year with the team \u2013 is not someone he wants to win for nor is he someone he has \u201csympathy and hurt for\u201d after the team suffered its fifth consecutive lopsided loss at AT&T Stadium.<\/p>\n On the flip side, there\u2019s also a level to Parsons\u2019 quote that could explain away his comments in a better light. Because he is right, McCarthy can go wherever he wants next season and continue his career. Guys like Zack Martin cannot. Does that mean McCarthy is not someone that Parsons wants to \u201chold the trophy for\u201d when it\u2019s said and done? That is what his quote left us to wonder.<\/p>\n Parsons was noticeably upbeat in the locker room following the loss. He made his return to the field after six weeks away and recorded two sacks including a\u00a0strip sack of Jalen Hurts\u00a0in the first half. For a pass rush that has seemed dormant at times this season, it came alive with Parsons leading the charge.<\/p>\n Shortly after making his comments about McCarthy, he walked away from his locker screaming for the entire locker room to hear, \u201cBe the light! Be the light!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe had a great message in chapel this week,\u201d Parsons said. \u201cYou got to be the light. Even when other sides aren\u2019t shining \u2013 our offense isn\u2019t shining as hard and we needed their juice to bring us up \u2013 we got to be the offense\u2019s light this time.\u201d<\/p>\n He also expressed his frustration around the\u00a0offense not being able to punch it\u00a0into the end zone despite having that forced fumble on Hurts inside the Eagles 10-yard line. Parsons has seen growth in the defensive unit and is now seeing that there isn\u2019t anyone that can help that unit other than itself.<\/p>\n \u201cOverall, I\u2019m happy for these defensive guys and how they played,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s one of those years where it\u2019s challenging, but we got to be the light for everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n Frustration has paved the way for acceptance for Parsons. His upbeat mood means he isn\u2019t questioning what\u2019s happening around him anymore, it means he\u2019s accepted it and is moving forward accordingly.<\/p>\n For an offense under McCarthy\u2019s leadership that could muster only 146 yards of production while turning the ball over five times in the 28-point loss, Parsons has every right to question the leadership that his coaching staff is putting forward.<\/p>\n But that\u2019s it in and of itself, he\u2019s no longer questioning it. He\u2019s accepted it.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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