Cowboys Rumors: Micah Parsons Expected to Play vs. Eagles Despite Illness

Dallas Cowboys star linebacker Micah Parsons is reportedly "battling the flu," according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, but he is still expected to play against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night.

The matchup is a crucial one between two teams battling for the NFC East crown, and Parsons—who has 11.5 sacks this season—has emerged in recent seasons as Dallas' most important and impactful defensive player.

Many people expected the Cowboys to address the cornerback position with their first-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft, but when the top two prospects at the position—Jaycee Horn (No. 8 overall to the Carolina Panthers) and Patrick Surtain II (No. 9 overall to the Denver Broncos)—were off the board, they were forced to go in a different direction.

Dallas stuck to the defensive side of the ball and selected Parsons. In an offseason that saw Sean Lee retire, the pick addressed a need and did so with an incredibly athletic and talented option.

The Cowboys immediately planned to use him in a designated pass-rusher role.

"Just creating havoc, creating disruption," Parsons told the Dallas Morning News of the role before his rookie year. "Being able to create that excitement, momentum change, a chance to get the ball out and get it back to our explosive offense. That's kind of what I like about pass rushing."

That proved to be a stroke of brilliance.

Parsons hit the ground running in the role, posting 84 tackles and 13 sacks in 16 games during his rookie season. He was rush the passer more regularly with star defensive end Demarcus Lawrence missing significant time to a broken foot and did so spectacularly, winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award and earning a Pro Bowl bid.

He followed that up with 13.5 sacks, 65 tackles (13 for loss), 26 quarterback hits and three forced fumbles in the 2022 season. For the second straight year, he earned both Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors.

There is no replacing Parsons, who is already one of the most uniquely disruptive and versatile defensive players in football in just his third season. But if the Penn State product is sidelined on Sunday night or limited due to illness, look for Dorance Armstrong to see an increase in playing time.