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The Dallas Cowboys have an All-Pro kick returner in KaVontae Turpin, but that doesn’t seem to matter to fellow All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons, who is lobbying to return kickoffs for the team.
Along with being one of the best pass rushers in the league, Parsons believes he can also be an elite kick returner. The Cowboys are unlikely to give him the chance to prove it, even with the new return rules that should favor the offense. Parsons probably knows it’s not going to happen, but that hasn’t stopped him from asking special teams coordinator John Fassel for the opportunity.
“Micah has asked…”
Since two returners will be standard with the new kickoff rule could @MicahhParsons11 get a chance from Cowboys special teams coordinator John Fassel? pic.twitter.com/8OASbjSOuw
— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) April 8, 2024
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It may not be as far-fetched as some would believe, Parsons was a star running back coming out of high school, and was a highly recruited player on both sides of the ball. Watching Parsons with the ball in his hands the few times he’s gotten it in the NFL and it’s easy to see his play-making ability. It’s hard to forget what Parsons did when he returned a fumble against the Chicago Bears for a touchdown during the 2022 season.
#Cowboys Micah Parsons with the touchdown against #Bears… #CHIvsDAL pic.twitter.com/StC9P9BsRL
— sports CAST
(@thesportscast1) October 30, 2022
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He may play defense, but Parsons is an elite athlete who could excel on offense if that’s where he chose to play.
However, it’s highly unlikely the Cowboys would entertain putting one of the best defensive players in the league in harm’s way as a kick returner. As Fassel acknowledged, he knows it’s not going to happen and he’s not in position to make the final call. Parsons’ place is on defense, where Dallas needs him to wreck games and an injury suffered anywhere else on the field would be a catastrophic mistake.
Parsons is someone who believes in himself no matter the situation, but the Cowboys aren’t letting him return kicks. The team already has a dynamic returner in Turpin and another possible option in second-year running back Deuce Vaughn, they aren’t desperate for more candidates.
It’s a fun idea, but there’s no doubt the Cowboys are less enthusiastic about the prospects of Parsons returning kicks that he is about doing the job.