Cowboys assistant makes a potentially too-bold claim about Micah Parsons

With the NFL’s announcement earlier this year regarding the rules changes on kickoff returns, teams have certainly something to think about. Shortly after the news broke, the Pittsburgh Steelers wasted little time bringing veteran Cordarrelle Patterson aboard. He holds the league record for most kickoff returns for touchdowns (9) in NFL annals.

It’s going to be fascinating to watch this upcoming season. If one of Mike McCarthy’s assistant coaches with the Dallas Cowboys had his way, he would bring fascinating to a new level.

During his rookie season in 2021, Cowboys’ star linebacker Micah Parsons did play a total of 918 plays in 16 regular-season games. A total of 904 came on defense and 14 on special teams. He lined up on special teams once this past season.

Cowboys assistant says Micah Parson lobbies to return kicks

Cowboys’ special teams’ coordinator John Fassel wouldn’t mind seeing the three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro defender take a crack at kickoff returns. “You know Micah,” explained Fassel on a recent edition of the Ross Tucker Football Podcast. “So, he has lobbied me in the past to just be the primary kickoff returner.

“I’m like, Micah, that's the question you got to go a little further up than me on that one. But would I love to see him back there? Absolutely, because he would be fantastic. He would catch it and he’d run wild and he'd probably get incredible yards. But that ain't going to happen. I'm aware of that.”

Dallas’ special teams could certainly use some work. The club ranked 21st in the NFL in kickoff return average this past season (21.8). Could Parsons actually make his way onto the return unit once or twice this season?

Micah has asked about being a primary kickoff returner, that hasn't been allowed yet," Fassell said. "Probably not going to be allowed unless you say, ‘Hey, you know in the game we’re down by six and there’s eight seconds left in the game and we got to score a touchdown and kick return to win it?’ Maybe we put Micah back there as a second returner."

Never say never when it comes to the NFL these days.