Micah Parsons Wants To Return Kickoffs And Cowboys Special Teams Coordinator Is On Board

The NFL's new kickoff rules have teams searching for talented returners. And Micah Parsons is throwing his hat in the ring.

In an interview on the Ross Tucker Podcast this week, Dallas Cowboys special teams coordinator John Fassel said the All-Pro linebacker has asked to be the primary kickoff returner. And Fassel is on board — even though there's little to no chance the higher-ups would let that happen.

"You know Micah. He has lobbied me in the past to just be the primary kickoff returner," Fassel said. "I’m like, ‘Micah, that’s a question you’ve got to go a little further up than me on that one.’ But would I love to see him back there? Absolutely, because he would be fantastic. He would catch it, and he’d run wild, and he’d probably get incredible yards. But that ain’t going to happen. I’m aware of that.

Since the Cowboys selected him in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Parsons has been a quarterback's worst nightmare. In three seasons, he's a three-time Pro Bowler, a three-time All-Pro, and he won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2021.

READ: Three Key Factors You Must Know About The New NFL Kickoff

In other words, he's way too valuable on defense to risk throwing him in for special teams reps. But Fassel can dream.

"I remember watching Micah on kickoff coverage at Penn State as a freshman because I was scouting Nick Scott, a player we had drafted to the Rams," Fassel said. "Then I was looking at Cam Brown also, but 'Who's that guy on kickoff' when [Parsons] was a freshman. Then, you know, you look him up, I don't know who he is, but he'll probably be alright someday. 

"But Micah has asked about being a primary kickoff returner, that hasn't been allowed yet, probably not going to be allowed unless you say, 'Hey, you know in the game we're down by six and there's eight seconds left in the game and we got to score a touchdown and kick return to win it?' Maybe we put Micah back there as a second returner."

(Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)

It's worth noting that Dallas already has Pro Bowl returner KaVontae Turpin on the roster, who is one of the best in the league in that role. But the new 7-2-2 kickoff formation opens the door for a second returner. And it sounds like Micah is going to plead his case.