A lot has changed since the last time Micah Parsons played a football game in Pittsburgh.
The date was September 8, 2018. It was the Harrisburg’ native’s second career game as a true freshman at Penn State. He was more of a standup linebacker at the time rather than the do-it-all Pro Bowl pass rusher he is now. Even the stadium itself was still called Heinz Field, not Acrisure Stadium.
But long before the NFL fame, the money, the trade saga and everything else, Parsons says the biggest difference between the player that lined up for the Nittany Lions that night in a 51-6 win over Pitt, and the one that took the field on Sunday night for the Green Bay Packers in a 35-25 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, is outlook.
“[The biggest change is] when it comes to how I approach the game,” Parsons said. “I fell in love my process. And just I understand that I’m gonna get one opportunity at this, and I have to take full advantage.”
In a busy year for Parsons, that has been on display. After headlining one of the biggest trades in recent memory and departing his childhood team, the Dallas Cowboys, the 26-year-old has been his typical self for the Green Bay Packers, totaling 6.5 sacks—including a big one of Aaron Rodgers on Saturday night to help secure a second-half comeback win.
“He’s been incredible since the day we’ve gotten him,” Packers head coach Matt LeFleur said. “It doesn’t take long. You sit down with him. He’s a really intelligent person, first and foremost, but then you go out there and you watch how he practices. You know, he gives great effort and practice.”
“And I think that’s why, I mean, he’s a freak of nature. I think guys that do that, that are built like that, and then they have those habits that they form in practice. it’s not surprising to me that he can go out there and have a lot of success in the games."
Practices might be where Parsons’ growth in mentality is on full display. In fact, at times the passion in the process and effort has even been too much.
“I think the most surprising thing for me is just the way he is every day at practice,” Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love said. “The player you see out there on the field on Sundays, he’s the same player in practice, where we’re trying to have to tell him to ease up sometimes and stay away from me at times, he’s always hunting, trying to get those sacks and trying to win every rep. ”
Some of that urgency has been gradual growth, while some of it was kicked in when Dallas decided to trade their star pass rusher before the season started, relaying a similar message to one that he shared with local Harrisburg-area football players this offseason.
“I love the game, and just, like, after the trade and everything, I don’t take one day for granted,” Parsons said. “Being with the guys, winning games, I just don’t take it for granted.”
“So I just think before I would take things for granted, I could get it next week. Every week has to be my week. I just love this.”
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