Cowboys' Parsons wants to be 'one of the greatest Hall of Famers'

Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons doesn't just want to make the Hall of Fame one day - he wants to be considered one of the greatest players of all time.

"When you talk about great careers, (when) you talk about the Hall of Fame, I don't think I just want to make the Hall of Fame," Parsons said, according to Todd Archer of ESPN. "I just want to be known as one of the greatest Hall of Famers."

Parsons has exploded onto the scene since being selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year in his first campaign and has two first-team All-Pro nominations on his resume.

Demarcus Ware, the Cowboys' all-time sack leader who entered the Hall of Fame on Saturday, has mentored Parsons in the past.

"Talk about a guy that set the standard. Twenty-sack seasons, a guy who's just outright dominated in his prime and went out in the right way," Parsons said.

He added: "I thought he was a first-ballot guy. A guy that I looked up to. His IQ, bro, any time you just talk to him about football, when he just came in that one day, I just learned so much."

Parsons has helped transform the Cowboys' defense into one of the best in the league over the last two seasons, ranking in the top 10 in points per game allowed in both campaigns.

However, the strong defense has failed to translate to playoff success. The Cowboys haven't reached the Super Bowl since 1996.

"There are people that have had great careers, but without that Super Bowl, man. ... That Super Bowl carries so much weight," Parsons said.

Parsons has 149 tackles and 26.5 sacks in 33 career starts. The Cowboys open their season on Sept. 10 against the New York Giants.