The NFL has always been a league where legends carve their names into history with bone-crushing tackles and game-winning drives. But in 2025, the game is changing faster than a Patrick Mahomes audible. Players aren’t just chasing rings—they’re building empires. And there you have Micah Parsons, the Dallas Cowboys’ ferocious linebacker, who’s doubling down on a side hustle that’s ruffling more feathers than a Thanksgiving turkey fry.

Parsons, a three-time Pro Bowler with 52.5 sacks in four seasons, isn’t just terrorizing quarterbacks. He’s sparring with critics over his podcast, The Edge, while eyeing a future where his voice might be as valuable as his pass rush. Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe—fresh off a reported $100M media deal—criticized Parsons’ podcast shenanigans earlier in January. Parsons fired back like he’d just spotted a holding call. The drama? It’s juicier than a perfectly smoked rack of Kansas City ribs.

On May 15, Front Office Sports reported Sharpe’s pending nine-figure contract, cementing his status as podcasting’s heavyweight champion. Parsons, who’d faced backlash for his own show, didn’t miss a beat. Reposting the news on X, he quipped: “‘Stop the podcast Micah’ yea Ite..” The message was clear: If Sharpe could turn a mic into generational wealth, why shouldn’t he? Now, let’s break it down.

Parsons’ podcast, launched in 2023, has become a lightning rod. Critics argue it distracts from football. Supporters counter that he’s playing chess, not checkers. “You’ll be amazed about how many former players wish they got active in media before they retired, and that’s coming from legends of the game,” Parsons tweeted. When? When a fan told him, “Dude, you can go hard on your podcast after football…. This is a silly argument.” Meanwhile, Parsons’ stats back him up: 12 sacks in 2024, even after Dallas stumbled to a 7-10 record…

The man isn’t slacking—he’s multitasking. And perhaps Sharpe’s rise—from three-time Super Bowl champ to media mogul—is a blueprint Parsons admires. After leaving FS1’s Undisputed in 2023, Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast exploded, pulling 60M monthly YouTube views—more than Joe Rogan. His success underscores a harsh reality Parsons knows too well: “The NFL is unforgiving and each year is never guranteed!!” (Parsons wrote on X). But the Cowboys star isn’t alone.

Travis Kelce, Draymond Green, and even Tom Brady have embraced the mic. But Parsons’ critics, including legends like Lawrence Taylor, argue he should “play more football, less podcasts.” However, as Sharpe’s $100M deal proves, the game’s true power players are those who control the narrative off the field.

Micah Parsons vs. the podcast police: A new chapter in athlete media

Parsons’ podcast critiques peaked after Dallas’ playoff miss. Sharpe himself mocked the linebacker’s Super Bowl LX prediction, saying, “I take everything he says with a pinch of salt… he’s just saying things to get clicks.” But here’s the thing. Parsons’ on-field dominance hasn’t wavered. Micah Parsons’ achievement places him in an elite group of players who have reached 50+ sacks in their first four seasons since 1982. Other players in this category include Derrick Thomas, JJ Watt, DeMarcus Ware, Dwight Freeney, and Claude Humphrey (though Humphrey’s came before sacks became an official statistic).

“Why is my podcast a problem?” Parsons shot back on X in February. “Hella people in the NBA and NFL have podcasts and no one has a problem.” Chad Johnson backed him: “The podcast doesn’t take anything away from him on the field.” Even as DeMarcus Ware suggested banning in-season shows, Parsons kept recording—and sacking. Besides, the debate isn’t just about airtime—it’s about autonomy. Parsons, set to land a $200M Cowboys extension, sees podcasting as a bridge to life after football.

“Most players make that mistake thinking the NFL last forever and it doesn’t!,” he tweeted. Sharpe’s $100M deal? It’s a neon sign pointing to that bridge. Meanwhile, The Edge keeps growing. Guests like Derrick Henry and Trevon Diggs draw crowds. And Parsons’ takes on everything from Dak Prescott’s MVP potential to NFL rule changes keep fans hooked. Critics call it noise. Parsons calls it networking.

Parsons’ story mirrors a league in flux. Today’s stars aren’t just athletes; they’re brands, pundits, and entrepreneurs. Sharpe’s $100M deal isn’t an outlier—it’s a roadmap. And Parsons, with his Hall of Fame trajectory and media savvy, is cruising in the fast lane. As Mark Twain once said, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” Parsons has started. Now, with Sharpe’s shadow looming and critics howling, one question remains: Will the NFL’s old guard adapt, or get left behind like a 1990s playbook?