National Football League

Cowboys' Malik Hooker talks Micah Parsons: 'What are you really caring about?'

Updated Jul. 1, 2024 10:19 p.m. ET

Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons and safety Malik Hooker are not seeing eye-to-eye at the moment.

During Hooker's recent appearance on the "All Facts No Brakes with Keyshawn Johnson" podcast, the eight-year NFL veteran spoke about his teammates' side gig as a podcast host and offered some direct advice on where the 25-year-old defensive star should be focusing his time.

"My advice for Micah would be just make sure we're alright," Hooker began. "Because if … you're doing a podcast every week, and you know the run game is terrible, then what are you really caring about?"

Parsons began hosting "The Edge with Micah Parsons" on Bleacher Report during the NFL season last year.

The Cowboys finished the season 12-5 for a third consecutive year, making it to the wild-card round of the NFL Playoffs, where they were defeated by the Green Bay Packers.

The run defense came under fire for its performance during the matchup, in which former Packers running back Aaron Jones rushed for 118 yards and three touchdowns.

Hooker, who has played with the Cowboys since 2021, was blunt about where his team should be focusing its energy after last season — and Parsons' podcast was not on the list.

"Are you caring about the crowd that was watching the podcast or are you caring about the success of our team and the Super Bowl that we're trying to reach?" Hooker questioned.

According to The Dallas Morning News, Parsons responded to the criticism in a since-deleted post on social media that read: "Just wish you said this to me but instead on some podcast! And you got my number family! @MalikHooker24 and you my locker mate! So you coulda said this any day! And you do realize I shoot the podcast on our off day! Why ain't we talking about everyone preparations and focus."

On Monday's episode of "Speak," co-host Joy Taylor also called out Hooker for making the comments about Parsons publicly, and she also questioned if the two would be able to move past this.

"The issue is, obviously, that he [Hooker] could have the opportunity to say this to him [Parsons] in person," Taylor began.

"But, when you highlight it — when you say this podcast is the reason — there's a correlation to him doing this podcast and us losing … Micah's the best player on the team, and the most visible player and a leader. That is really the issue. How do you move past that?"

Hooker also did not hold back when asked about the current contract negotiations between the Cowboys and Parsons, Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Zack Martin.

When Keyshawn Johnson asked who, out of the four, should get their money first, Hooker began his thoughts with who should get theirs last.

"Micah still has a lot to prove," Hooker said.

"Like, he's done a great job his first couple years in the league. Don't get me wrong. He's a fantastic player, but I feel like Micah still has a surface that he don't even know that he can scratch as far as what he's doing … so I would say Micah's last."

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