Why loving DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons isn’t cheating on the Cowboys

Leaving the Dallas Cowboys is a lot like breaking up with a high school sweetheart. Sometimes fate leads you to better things, and you find yourself hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. Other times, you’re Jason Witten in a Las Vegas Raiders jersey. Historically, the post-Dallas experience has been a mixed bag. Whether it’s Jimmy Smith becoming a star in Jacksonville or Dez Bryant’s brief, confusing cameo in Baltimore, the grass isn’t always greener, but sometimes it is.

Two guys grazing in different grass this past season were DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons, who both found themselves under the media microscope this week, fielding endless questions about their exits from the Cowboys. Lawrence, ever the straight-shooter, didn’t hold back, which is what created a stir last offseason when he infamously got into a social media dispute with Parsons after saying, “Dallas is my home…But I know for sure I’m not going to win a Super Bowl there”. This prompted a spicy social media retort from Parsons, who labeled the sentiment “rejection and envy” and “clown (bleep)”. Lawrence’s comeback was equally legendary: “Maybe if you spent less time tweeting and more time winning, I wouldn’t have left.” It’s the kind of high-stakes family fallout that usually requires a therapist and a very large bucket of popcorn. And with every family fallout, people always take sides.

Since landing with the Seattle Seahawks, Lawrence has been living his best life in the Pacific Northwest. This season, he tallied 53 total tackles, six sacks, and forced three fumbles. Perhaps most impressively, he also scooped up two fumbles and returned them for touchdowns in a single half against the Cardinals. It seems the Seattle rain has been a fountain of youth for the 33-year-old veteran pass rusher, who is now one win away from the Super Bowl ring he predicted he’d never get in Texas. Apparently, all Tank needed to find his groove was some Starbucks and a defense that could play cohesively as a complete unit.

Looking back at his time in Dallas, Lawrence was the heartbeat of a defense. That was, until Parsons arrived. Over 157 games as a Cowboy, Lawrence racked up 61.5 sacks, 21 forced fumbles, and 450 total tackles. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and the literal definition of a splash player. He was a true leader, never complained, and went out and gave his all, even though his contract stuff got messy at times. And for that, we salute him.

Meanwhile, Parsons has been a lightning bolt for the Green Bay Packers this year after a shock trade that sent him north right before the season started. In just 14 games, he exploded for 12.5 sacks, earning All-Pro honors. He became the first player in the history of the NFL to have 12 sacks in each of his first five seasons in the league. Though his season was tragically cut short by a torn ACL, he still finished near the top of the league in pressures and pass-rush win rate. Seeing Parsons in green and gold was tough to stomach, especially watching him do what he did in Dallas, which was repeatedly wreck opposing quarterbacks. It turns out that when you trade a superstar, the superstar still tends to do superstar things.

Before the move, Parsons’ career in Dallas was nothing short of historic. He amassed 52.5 sacks as a Cowboy, earning three All-Pro nods and making the Pro Bowl every single year he was in Texas. He repeatedly ranked near the top in the voting for Defensive Player of the Year, and he did it with the kind of swagger that suggested he could probably play any position out there if the coaches let him. Cowboys’ fans miss him. Partly because the defense has been a hot mess without him, and partly because he ran like a deer and hit like a Mack truck.

It is perfectly okay to root for Lawrence and Parsons even if they don’t have a star on their helmet anymore. Rooting for their success doesn’t mean you love the Cowboys any less. It just means you recognize elite talent when you see it. And any struggles they have don’t vindicate the front office for letting them get away. These guys gave their all for the Cowboys, and denying their greatness now would be blatant stubbornness. So, go ahead and cheer for them, unless they’re playing against the Cowboys or affecting the team’s draft capital. All other times, it’s perfectly fine.