Micah Parsons, linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys, has quickly become one of the NFL’s top all-around defensive players since being drafted in 2021 from Penn State. However, his football career could have been quite different.
In a recent episode of his podcast, The Edge, Parsons hosted Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James, who shared that if he hadn’t played safety, he would have opted for running back or wide receiver. In response, Parsons revealed that Alabama had actually offered him a scholarship to play running back.
“Bama offered me… to play running back,” Parsons said.
Parsons then asked, “What is Derrick Henry?” to which James responded, “Fast and big.”
Parsons confidently replied, “What is Micah Parsons? Fast and big!” Henry, a standout running back at Alabama and in the NFL, stands at 6’3″ and weighs 247 pounds, nearly identical to Parsons’ measurements of 6’3″ and 245 pounds. Additionally, Parsons posted a 4.36-second 40-yard dash time, much faster than Henry’s 4.54-second time coming out of college. It’s possible former Alabama coach Nick Saban saw Parsons as a potential offensive weapon rather than a defender.
In the end, Parsons chose to stay on defense, where he has since earned four Pro Bowls and two first-team All-Pro selections, becoming the cornerstone of the Dallas Cowboys’ defense.
