Micah Parsons is one of the faces of the Dallas Cowboys, but he was nearly a star for the Cowboys' division rival—the New York Giants. During a recent interview, Parsons revealed that he thought he was going to be a Giant during the 2021 NFL draft process. According to Parsons, the Giants said that they planned to draft Parsons if he was available at pick No. 11.
"The Giants lied to me. People don't know this, they told me, if I fell to 11 that they was gonna pick me," Parsons told Bryant McFadden of CBS Sports. "I swear. That's why I punish the Giants every time. It's personal when I play them."
"[The Giants] lied to me... people don't know this... they told me, if I fell to 11 that they was gonna pick me."
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) February 6, 2025
- Micah Parsons reveals why he PUNISHES the Giants with @BMac_SportsTalk pic.twitter.com/dgIXV7tQWy
The Giants held the No. 11 pick heading into the 2021 draft. Though the Cowboys owned the No. 10 pick, one selection before the Giants, the Cowboys ended up trading back two spots, swapping with the Philadelphia Eagles who picked DeVonta Smith. Rather than stay where they were and take Parsons, the Giants also decided to trade back in the draft, and eventually took wide receiver Kadarius Toney at No. 20. The Cowboys then drafted Parsons at No. 12.
Parsons has certainly made the Giants regret their decision. Aside from already recording 4.5 sacks against New York, Parsons has become one of the top defenders in the NFL. Meanwhile, Toney did not even last two full seasons with the Giants despite being their first-round pick. Instead, New York traded him to the Kansas City Chiefs after he only recorded 420 receiving yards in just 12 total games for them.
Ultimately, the Giants' decision to pass on Parsons will go down as another one of their blunders over the last few years. Along with paying Daniel Jones over Saquon Barkley and letting Barkley walk in free agency and drafting Deandre Baker in the first round of the 2019 draft, these moves have played a critical role in the Giants' failure to win the division and regularly contend over the last decade. Giants general manager Joe Schoen, who did take his position after the team passed on Parsons, will need to lead the franchise to making better decisions going forward.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Micah Parsons Says Giants Lied About Plans to Pick Him During NFL Draft Process.
