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Micah Parsons and the Cowboys second round pick are hitting it off
Micah Parsons is taking the Dallas Cowboys' second-round pick under his wing.
It bodes well for the upstart NFL pass rusher that his position group is led by none other than Micah Parsons, an All-Pro who is off to a historic start to his career and, despite ongoing contract negotiations, reported to minicamp with the added goal of mentoring and coaching up the younger talent on the defensive line.
“I told them no egos in this room,” said Parsons of his message to the group. “… If I’m not [hustling], tell me to get the f-ck on. … Everybody’s sh-t stinks. We’re not all perfect.”
The words resonate heavily with Ezeiruaku and others.
“Nobody’s above anybody,” he said. “We all have different successes, and have all done certain things already in the game. [Granted, in the NFL] I haven’t done anything, but it doesn’t matter, because if one guy isn’t going hard, we’re gonna get on that guy the same way as anybody else was not going hard.
“Everybody’s equal. That’s pretty much what we mean by [an egoless group].”
The bond has also been made more profound off of the field, by way of group gatherings that include bowling nights, and though the super-competitive Parsons may or may not agree, Ezeiruaku pointed out he’s one to contend with at the lanes; and that he routinely bowls “in the [200s]”.
A close-knit group and locker room speaks largely to the culture being constructed by head coach Brian Schottenheimer and, to this point, there is evidence everywhere of its early roots taking hold.
A first-time head coach must be prepared for multiple curveballs in their inaugural season in the NFL.
Callahan and Canales mentioned game management as a large aspect of their jobs that needed an adjustment. Canales has George Li as the Panthers’ game management coordinator. They watched playoff games together last year to go over end-of-half and end-of-game scenarios, as well as when to use the challenge flag.
“He’s peppering me with different situations that come up throughout the week,” Canales said. “I felt covered by him to be able to give me a heads-up on things that might come up so I can be focused on making the next call. Certainly, when we’re on the defensive side, then there’s more open dialogue with those things, but I lean on George.”
For Schottenheimer, that person is Ryan Feder, one of the holdovers from McCarthy’s staff. He was an assistant quarterbacks coach last year with game management responsibilities, but he carries the game management coordinator title under Schottenheimer.
Schottenheimer called Feder a “trusted adviser.”
“I think he does it as...
