"I’ve seen the Hulk get beat up. I’ve seen Thor get beat up. I’ve seen Captain America get beat up. But they always get back up. ... (Brady) gets beat up, but he gets back up." - Micah.
FRISCO - Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady has been doing this for a long time, so there is almost nothing new under the sun when it comes to superlatives, comparisons and accolades.
But that doesn't mean that second-year Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons - who enjoys talking colorfully using superlatives, comparisons and accolades - can't try.
According to the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year, Brady is ...
*A roach. (Or a footstep on a roach.)
*A superhero.
*A memory not worth revisiting.
"I don't even want to watch it," Parsons said this week when asked about Week 1 of 2021, when Brady helped beat Dallas in the rookie's first-ever game. "I don't want to reminisce on it."
But of course, Parsons does remember. And is studying. And is absolutely a centerpiece of Dallas' efforts to overcome what oddsmakers think is a 1.5-point deficit in Sunday night's opener at AT&T Stadium.
"We've got to get him out this league. He’s been dominating this league too long," Parsons joked. "He has that fire inside of him. He looks to kill you. He wants to step on your throat like you a roach.
"That’s what you look for in competitors."
Brady toyed with the idea of retirement this summer but is back after another GOAT-level season during which he was good for 5,316 passing yards and 43 touchdowns.
Said Micah: "I’ve seen the Hulk get beat up. I’ve seen Thor get beat up. I’ve seen Captain America get beat up. But they always get back up and find a way to get to their destination. He gets beat up, but he gets back up."
The Cowboys now look to do the same, with an "NFL's fastest defense'' (see coordinator Dan Quinn's remarks) working to help the Dak Prescott-led offense to a win, and another playoff run. To do that, the results will have to be different from a year ago, as Parsons suggests will be the case.
"It's just a different focus and a different mindset right now," Parsons said. "I'm just locked in way more. I think the fun time is over. But now this is the real deal and real thing, and I need to hit it head-on with everything."
Like a roach-killer. Or a superhero. Or something.
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