When Micah Parsons left for the Pro Bowl Games in Orlando, Dan Quinn was still his defensive coordinator. When he gets back, though, that office at The Star will be empty. And maybe a little piece of the 26-year-old linebacker is suddenly gone, too.
Quinn was the only defensive coordinator Parsons had known in his three years as a Dallas Cowboy. In that time, Quinn took a first-round draft pick who many weren’t sure how to evaluate after he opted out of the 2020 season at Penn State and turned him- almost immediately- into one of the most feared defenders in the pro game.
Parsons was named Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2021, finished second for Defensive Player of the Year last season, and is a finalist for the award again this year. He has three All-Pro nods. He’s attending his third Pro Bowl.
And Quinn just signed on as the new head coach of the Washington Commanders.
NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe caught up with Parsons this weekend and asked him about seeing his mentor go.
“Super happy for him,” Parsons said. “Q’s like a big uncle to me. I know how much this means for him, and I know it’s a step he wanted to take. He stayed with me as long as he could. Any team out there is lucky to have him.”