Micah Parsons injury update: Latest news on Cowboys LB after leaving 'Thursday Night Football' vs. Giants

Bryan Murphy

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Micah Parsons injury update: Latest news on Cowboys LB after leaving 'Thursday Night Football' vs. Giants image

Micah Parsons is undoubtedly the focal point of the Cowboys offense. 

The fourth-year linebacker for Dallas has become one of the best edge rushers in the league. Parsons is a dominant force to be reckoned with, putting offensive lines into the blender snap after snap. 

As the Cowboys are coming off a 20-15 win over the Giants on Thursday though, they could be playing without Parsons in the near future after the defensive star was injured in the matchup. Reports came in Friday detailing Parsons' injury, which isn't season-ending but could keep him off the field for multiple games.

Here are the latest updates on Parsons' injury status.

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Micah Parsons injury update

Parsons left the contest early in the second quarter after a collision with his teammate Monte Smith. Both linebackers were going for a tackle when Parsons dove and his head made contact with Smith's hip. 

After getting up from the play, the crew chief Clay Martin directed Parsons to go to the sidelines. He went into the medical tent on the Dallas sideline. 

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Parsons emerged from the tent with his helmet in his hand. Amazon Prime sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung said that there was no update on Parsons other than he was checked out in the tent for a potential injury. She later clarified he was evaluated for a stinger, or a nerve issue related to the neck. 

The Dallas defensive star was not out there at the start of the next Giants' possession, but he did return a play later.

Parsons then hurt himself again in the fourth quarter. He was rolled up on by two Giants offensive linemen and had to be helped off the field. 

He left the playing surface on a cart with less than four minutes remaining in regulation. Parsons did not return. 

While head coach Mike McCarthy did not have an update on Parsons after the game, it was reported that the linebacker was moving around the locker room and reassuring teammates that he would be alright. He was seen icing his ankle on the training table, but the outlook is positive as of right now.

Friday afternoon it was confirmed that Parsons indeed has a high-ankle sprain. A return timeline has not been decided upon, but the Cowboys have two more games before a bye week in Week 7.

With the high-ankle sprain, Parsons is expected to miss "multiple weeks," targeting a return after the bye, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 

An ESPN report on Monday confirmed that Parsons is unlikely to play in Week 5, which would be the first game he's missed in his NFL career. In the story, Parsons also said it might "make sense to some" for him to sit out until the Cowboys' Week 7 bye to get some extra time to recover.

With Parsons' high-ankle sprain looking likely to keep him sidelined in Week 5, the Cowboys defense would have to turn toward other pieces on its depth chart against the Steelers.

Bryan Murphy

Bryan Murphy Photo

Bryan Murphy joined The Sporting News in 2022 as the NHL/Canada content producer. Previously he worked for NBC Sports on their national news desk reporting on breaking news for the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL, in addition to covering the 2020 and 2022 Olympic Games. A graduate of Quinnipiac University, he spent time in college as a beat reporter covering the men’s ice hockey team.