Brian Schottenheimer Subtly Downplays Micah Parsons’ Exit Amid Cowboys’ Struggles: “Defense Is About More Than Just One Guy”

Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer refused to accept that they are missing Micah Parsons' services in defense.

Brian Schottenheimer Subtly Downplays Micah Parsons’ Exit Amid Cowboys’ Struggles: “Defense Is About More Than Just One Guy”

Brian Schottenheimer and Micah Parsons (Image via X/IMAGO)

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On Sunday, Micah Parsons played a key role in limiting the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense to 25 points as the Green Bay Packers recorded their first win in Pittsburgh in half a century. Parsons generated 6 pressures (44 total pressures in 2025) and sacked Aaron Rodgers one time.

In the meantime, the Dallas Cowboys suffered their fourth defeat of the season at the hands of the Denver Broncos. Despite witnessing an uptick in form in recent games, 20th in EPA/play and 15th in EPA/dropback, the Cowboys’ defense allowed the Broncos to score 44 points on them.

Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus found himself among the main targets of fan anger. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer defended his left-hand man while promising changes.

One lingering heartache that Cowboys fans struggle to move past is the glaring absence of Micah Parsons. This dynamic edge rusher has found a fitting home within the Packers’ system, dazzling onlookers with lightning-quick agility and ferocious intensity. He has racked up impressive performances, achieving a stellar PFF grade of 90 or higher on four separate occasions, leaving a trail of awe in his wake.

Are the Cowboys’ front office finally ready to admit that they could have benefited from Parsons as their lead man in defense? Schottenheimer said in a recent press conference:

Micah is certainly a great player… No one will ever point to the fact that Micah is not a credible player. But defense is about more than just one guy. Some of our defensive struggles have not been because of one guy doing the right thing, and it’s not been one assignment, it hasn’t been one defense, whether to man zone or whatever, it’s been what team defense is about.

Micah Parsons accused the Cowboys of mishandling Trevon Diggs’ injury

Much like the San Francisco 49ers, the Cowboys have also been plagued by injuries to key players. At the top of the injured list is All-Pro corner Trevon Diggs, who returned to action after recovering from an ACL tear at the start of the 2024 season and then had surgery on the same knee midway through last year.

Brian Schottenheimer Subtly Downplays Micah Parsons' Exit Amid Cowboys' Struggles: "Defense Is About More Than Just One Guy"
#11 Micah Parsons and #7 Trevon Diggs (Image via IMAGO)

Doctors cleared him to start, and he played six games before the Cowboys placed him on IR after the DB dealt with a nagging knee injury and concussion that appeared to occur during an accident at his home. Diggs missed the last two games and is likely to stay in rehab a little while longer.

His friend and former teammate, Micah Parsons, called out the Cowboys for mishandling Diggs’ situation. Parsons told Yahoo Sports after the Steelers’ win:

Honestly, I feel like they f*** my dog over, you know what I mean? [Trevon’s] coming off a catastrophic knee injury, and I just didn’t think they did right by him. He didn’t participate all camp, and he’s going out there playing Week 1 and 2. I just don’t think you do that to a player like that.

During a recent appearance on 105.3 The Fan, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was asked if Diggs has played his last game of the season. Jones replied:

I don’t see that today at all. He’s got to get well, and he hasn’t been.

There isn’t a set date for Diggs’ return; until then, the Cowboys have to cope without him. Next week, the Cowboys take on the Arizona Cardinals, who are 2-5 after losing to the Packers in their last fixture.

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