Texas is no longer the only star state in the NFL, it's chock full of stars.
One of the youngest players, Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud, has risen to stardom and hasn't been shy about mocking some of his stateside rivals. In an interview with The Boardroom, Stroud talked about Dallas Cowboys star linebacker Micah Parsons:
“His takes are awful,” Stroud said, “but he's also a great friend of mine. Outside of the takes, I have nothing but good things to say about him.”
Stroud appeared to be referring to an opinion Parsons began expressing last season on his podcast, “The Edge.”
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CJ Stroud of the Houston Texans steps back to throw a pass against the Cleveland Browns during the first half of the AFC wild-card playoff game at NRG Stadium on Jan. 13, 2024 in Houston. (Cooper Neal/Getty Images)
Parsons' podcast was so successful last year that it's back again this year, and he's also been promoted to an executive role at Bleacher Report: In May, Parsons was named president of Bleacher Report's Gridiron division, which focuses on the company's creative football content.
Parsons offered some unique insights on a podcast last year.
During a September episode, while discussing Taylor Swift's relationship with Travis Kelce, Parsons encouraged other NFL players to pursue relationships with high-status celebrity women, specifically naming Zendaya as someone players should pursue. He said this despite the fact that Zendaya has been in a long-term relationship with actor Tom Holland since 2021.
After the Cowboys' 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills in December, Parsons claimed that several NFL television commentators were rooting for the team to “fail.”
“Former players are just waiting for other current players to fail so they have something to talk about,” he said. “It's not just about naming names. I mean, at this point, I feel like I know who I am. And why would I want someone to lose so badly? It seems like a lot of people are just waiting for someone to fail.”
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Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys before a preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on August 11, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Ahead of the Wild Card playoff round in January, Parsons attempted to predict the winners of each of the six playoff games that weekend. Parsons' predictions were 2-4, including a prediction for the Cowboys to beat the Green Bay Packers. Green Bay won 48-32 in Dallas.
The podcast drew criticism from Parsons' Cowboys teammate, safety Malik Hooker, on June 27. Hooker criticized Parsons during a guest appearance on the “All Facts No Brakes” podcast with former Pro Bowl receiver Keyshawn Johnson.
“My advice to Micah is just make sure guys are OK and on their feet,” Hooker said on June 27. “If we're working out and our run game is awful and we're doing a podcast every week, knowing our run game is awful, what are we really concerned about? The audience that's watching the podcast or the success of our team and the Super Bowl that we're aiming for?”
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CJ Stroud and Micah Parsons attend the 2024 NBA Playoffs game between the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on April 28, 2024 in Philadelphia. (David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)
Parsons insists he plans to continue with the podcast and won't let it get in the way of his team, adding that he doesn't want to cause controversy with his comments.
“When I'm home with my kids on a Monday afternoon, I don't think anybody cares what I'm doing,” Parsons told reporters on Aug. 21. “So I don't think anybody cares if I'm playing Xbox or not. I think we all have our own free time. When you're away here, are you thinking about me at home? I don't think so.”
“I try not to say anything controversial, but everyone is attracted to something. They're going to take one thing. We all have opinions. We're not going to agree with what everyone says. That's life.”
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