Micah Parsons seems to have ignited an NFL firestorm.
San Francisco 49ers star wide receiver Deebo Samuel was quick to defend quarterback Brock Purdy from Parsons‘ criticism in the wake of Monday night’s Niners loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
But, even former All-Pro tight end and current NFL analyst Rob Gronkowski went in on Parsons after the Cowboys‘ edge rusher who suggested that the 49ers not taking shots down the field late in a 33-19 loss was an indictment of Purdy.
“It’s really weird that he’s tweeting that out there,” Gronkowski told host Kay Adams. “First of all, there’s a saying out there: Losers focus on winners, and winners focus on winning. And if you want to be a winner, then you have to focus on winning.
“It’s really, really weird, though, in this case because Micah Parsons is one of the best defensive players in the league. He might win Defensive Player of the Year this year. But on top of it, it’s a team game. It doesn’t matter how good you are as an individual.”
"It's really weird…" @RobGronkowski on @MicahhParsons11 post about @brockpurdy13 🔊@heykayadams pic.twitter.com/leUuQwlKxH
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) December 27, 2023
Evidently, Gronkowski’s comments struck a nerve with the Cowboys’ pass-rusher who enters Week 17 with 13 sacks this season, because Parsons tweeted a response to Gronkowski just seven minutes after the Up and Adams account tweeted the video.
Prime example of let’s attack the person rather than addressing the topic ! Yeah because it’s so weird a football player is talking about football on a web site where you can write your own thoughts and opinions! https://t.co/MNWHncSbjv
— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) December 27, 2023
“That was fast, wow,” Gronkowski said. “I mean, everyone has their own opinion — I got to agree with that. Everyone has their own channel now with social media, but I still think it’s weird that you’re worried about another team, man. You just have to worry about what you can control, not what the other team is doing.”
Parsons and the Cowboys fell to the 49ers earlier this season, 42-10, on a night that Purdy passed for 252 yards with four touchdowns.
Deebo Samuel Fires Back at Micah Parsons
Shortly after Gronkowski shared his thoughts on Parsons’ comments, Samuel fired back at the Cowboys star.
“Bro, we beat you [42-10] a long time ago,” said, on Up and Adams “I don’t get why he’s so bothered about what we got going on over here or whatever the case may be.”
Obviously, Parsons won’t get the chance to face Gronkowski on the field over his comments, but if Dallas and San Francisco eventually meet again in the NFL Playoffs, there is now no shortage of bulletin board material for either side in a high-stakes rematch.
Lions’ Ben Johnson Has Much Respect for Micah Parsons
Parsons and the Cowboys can put some pressure on the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East race, with a victory Saturday night against the Detroit Lions.
Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson believes that having success against the Cowboys’ defense starts with neutralizing Parsons.
“He’s a game wrecker, for sure,” Johnson told reporters. “I was just talking to the guys upstairs, they move him around so much whether it’s the right side, left side, over the guard, or the center, he’s just – every snap he’s in almost a different location, so it’s hard to get a beat a little bit to account for where he’s at.”
Parsons enters Week 17 with 13 sacks, a half sack shy of setting a new career-high. But, part of what makes Parsons such a dangerous weapon is that he excels from just about anywhere defensive coordinator Dan Quinn lines him up.
“Okay, so you know where he’s at,” Johnson says. “They have so many other dynamic guys up front that are fresh … It’s pretty special what they can accomplish with their pass-rush. So, Micah is a huge part of the issues we are encountering here cthis week.”
