The journey to the NFL has dreamt up many dreams. For Micah Parsons, it meant sacrificing everything in order to pursue his passion. This article explores Micah’s story, from his early days playing basketball at a small school to his time in the NFL. Micah reflects on what life was like before football, and what it meant for him to be selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2018 draft. With a lot of hard work and determination, he believes that he was able to make it into the NFL, despite not playing football until high school.
What Did Micah Parsons Do Before His Journey to the NFL?
Before he was NFL-bound, Parsons’ career and life revolved around his community in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He was a community involvement advocate in his home town, with interests ranging from raising money to give to local charities to hosting sports events for children to attend.
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Parsons explained his dedication to community service on his profile page: “I am an ambassador for the Harrisburg community. We work on multiple events and charitable events, both on and off the field. With the help of the Harrisburg community, we have managed to raise over $70,000 for causes that are close to our hearts.”
Parsons played basketball and ran track in high school, earning All-Region honors in basketball and second-team all-state honors in track.
The Beginning of Micah’s Journey to the NFL
Micah was born on April 1, 2000, making him only 17 years old when he played his first game as a defensive end in the Pennsylvania State University football program. He was a three-sport athlete while attending Harrisburg Area Community College.
Parsons started playing basketball at age 6, and he played high school basketball for Central Dauphin High School.
According to his father, Matthew, who coaches at Harrisburg High School, Micah’s first passion was basketball. He was a skilled player that went to camps all over the country, which were much more competitive than the one he was currently attending. He had no desire to be a defensive lineman at this point.
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As he was still young, Parsons was already dedicated to his high school team.
Going into College
Micah Parsons was the 5th ranked player on ESPN’s player rankings for the class of 2018, and was recruited heavily by colleges all over the country. As he held a high level of talent, there were some colleges he was even considered to be a potential recruit for that were not even aware of him. However, before Micah even enrolled into Penn State, he was the “look out” guy on defense as the captain of his high school team. Even before he had his first day of high school, he had a phone interview for Alabama.
Despite Micah being the captain of his high school’s football team, he had no idea that playing the game was going to help him get to where he is today. At the time, Micah did not play football at all.
Entering the NFL Draft
Micah’s journey began when he was in the third grade. He asked his parents to take him to a basketball game so he could get some extra action in before he entered high school. At that time, the 14-year-old only played on one-on-one tournaments. He would always come home completely exhausted after playing basketball. His father didn’t understand why Micah couldn’t give up basketball and just play football, but Micah was insistent. He knew how much he loved the game. He loved how the sport would discipline him. He saw the game as a path to discipline.
Micah was good at basketball, and his confidence grew quickly with his teammates and friends. He loved the freedom and opportunity that basketball gave him, and wanted to take it to the next level.
The story of his journey in Dallas Cowboys’ football team
Playing basketball in his small, yet friendly neighborhood was how Parsons started out in life. Growing up in York, PA, his two brothers and one of his friends played in a recreational basketball league. It was at this point that Micah first had his eye on playing college basketball.
But, basketball only gave him so much satisfaction. When he and his friends were always on the road, or coming home late at night, Micah discovered football. He developed a passion for it, and decided to try out.
He had previously played defensive end and running back, but he switched to linebacker in order to find a position that would be fun and rewarding.
The story of his journey in Dallas Cowboys’ football team
Micah describes his love for football early on. In his time at Carlisle High School, his first passion was to play basketball. However, at the time he was playing varsity he was the youngest player on the team. He attributes that passion to the fact that he was a homesick kid from Pennsylvania who played high school ball in a town with only 8,000 people. He found his way onto the team after making some late attempts to join, such as texting and asking other players to join the team.
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With only a week of practice with the team, Micah’s father, Ernest, decided to get Micah Parsons into tryouts for the wrestling team. Micah credits wrestling with opening his eyes to the potential of a good football player.
“When I wrestled my junior year, I was like, ‘Yeah, I want to play football.
Micah Parsons new life after football
There are so many things that came after football for Micah Parsons. He reflected on all that came with being drafted, but in a different light. As he reflects on everything he did, he finds that football has brought more to his life than he could ever have anticipated.
“When I finally signed with Dallas, it meant a lot. But then when I actually walked onto the field for the first time and actually got out there, it was a different feel. I can’t even explain it. My whole entire life changed after that. Everything changed.”
Many people lose their dreams once they realize how much effort it takes. Micah Parsons was able to make a new life for himself. He became a strong and proud young man, a testament to the support and love from his parents and family.
