Cowboys Teammates Micah Parsons, Malik Hooker Trade Shots Over Podcast
If you're mad at a guy for having a podcast, you should definitely go on someone else's podcast to complain about it. At least, that's what's happening with Dallas Cowboys' teammates Micah Parsons and Malik Hooker.
In a recent appearance on the All Facts No Brakes podcast, host Keyshawn Johnson asked Hooker what he thought about professional athletes starting podcasts and marketing themselves on social media. That's when he took a direct shot at Parsons — questioning if the All-Pro edge rusher is focusing too much energy on his podcast and not enough on football.
"My advice for Micah would be: just know we’re all right and being where your feet are," Hooker said. "Because if we’re at work, and the run game’s terrible, but you’re doing a podcast every week and you know the run game is terrible, then what are you really caring about?
"Are you caring about the crowd that‘s watching your podcast? Or caring about the success of our team and the Super Bowl that we’re trying to reach?"
Parsons hosted his podcast, The Edge, on Bleacher Report throughout the 2023 NFL season last year. Now, his role with Bleacher Report will expand after Parsons was named president of B/R Gridiron, the company's football subsection.
Micah Parsons Takes Issue With Malik Hooker's Comments
In a since-deleted post on X, Parsons responded to Hooker's criticism.
"Just wish you said this to me but instead on some podcast! And you got my number family! @MalikHooker24 and you my locker mate!" Parsons wrote. "So you coulda said this any day! And you do realize I shoot the podcast on our off day! It why ain’t we talking about everyone preparations and focus."
RELATED: Micah Parsons Says Criticism Is ‘A Privilege,’ But Does He Really Think That?
Micah Parsons didn't appreciate Malik Hooker's criticism about his podcast.
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
This isn't the first time Parsons has been accused of spending too much time worrying about his online image. In fact, former NFL linebacker Bart Scott called him out for this very thing back in February. Scott said Parsons needs to be less sensitive to other people's words and more focused on his role as a leader for the Cowboys' defense.
"You’re a linebacker. That’s supposed to be a tough guy spot," Scott said. "He’s the most sensitive guy I’ve ever seen. He responds to everything.
"Get off of social media. Quit tweeting. Quit talking about responding, and go about your business. That’s how you change the culture."
Parsons is in line for a big contract extension that could potentially make him the NFL’s highest-paid defender. He held out of OTAs and part of mandatory minicamp.
Probably too busy recording podcasts.