After missing two games with a high ankle sprain, Dallas Cowboys edge-rusher Micah Parsons sounds unsure whether he’ll return Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.
“It’s still up in the air,” Parsons said of his status Monday, via DLLS Sports’ Joseph Hoyt. “Obviously, it’s more than just me. I have to clear it with [Cowboys director of rehab] Britt [Brown], the coaches, the head coach. They want to make sure —obviously because there are so many games left — that I come back at the best result. Sometimes, it’s not always the player’s decision. It’s the people with the higher pay grade.”
Parsons still sounded optimistic about his progress and indicated he would try to play.
“My hopes are always very high,” Parsons said. “I love great challenges. I love being able to beat the odds. I’m going to put this up to my trainers and my coaching staff.”
Parsons suffered his injury in the fourth quarter of the Cowboys’ 20-15 Week 4 victory over the New York Giants. He posted a solid 82.4 Pro Football Focus grade through his first four games and logged 21 pressures.
The Cowboys beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 20-17 in Week 5 in their first game without Parsons. However, they could’ve used him during an embarrassing Week 6 home loss to the Detroit Lions. During the 47-9 blowout, the Cowboys allowed 492 yards and generated no takeaways.
The Cowboys (3-3) are third in the NFC East behind the Philadelphia Eagles (4-2) and Washington Commanders (5-2). As of Monday, The Athletic’s playoff projections give Dallas a 21 percent chance of making the postseason.
In his Monday news conference, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy didn’t call the game vs. the 49ers a must-win but acknowledged it’s an important opportunity.
Although 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk suffered a season-ending ACL/MCL tear in Week 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs, they’re still a formidable opponent.
San Francisco (3-4) ranks fourth in the league in passing yards (254.4) and is tied for eighth in points scored (25.7). It also has beaten Dallas in three straight games.
If Parsons doesn’t play, the Cowboys will likely have a harder time earning a road victory.
