Micah Parsons

Micah Parsons is the son of Sherese and Terrence Parsons. He has a brother named Terrence and a sister named Shatara. Parsons became the father of a son, Malcolm, in May 2018, and welcomed a daughter in January 2023.

Parsons is a Christian and has identified chess as a way to develop his football thinking. He also supports Penn State wrestling, the Philadelphia Phillies and the Philadelphia 76ers.

Parsons attended Central Dauphin High School before transferring to Harrisburg High School, where he played defensive end and running back. As a senior, he recorded 55 tackles, 10.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss on defense, while producing 1,239 rushing yards, 99 receiving yards and 29 offensive touchdowns.

He helped Harrisburg win the Mid-Penn Commonwealth Conference title in 2017 and reach the PIAA Class 5A championship game the previous season. Parsons was named a five-star recruit and received national recognition as a high school defensive player. He also played varsity basketball and helped Harrisburg win a District 3 Class 6A title.

Parsons joined Penn State as a highly rated recruit and quickly became a major contributor at linebacker. As a true freshman in 2018, he led the team with 83 tackles, becoming the first freshman in Penn State history to lead the program in tackles for a season.

In 2019, Parsons started 12 games and finished with 109 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, five sacks and four forced fumbles. He became the first sophomore in Big Ten history to win the Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year award and was named a consensus All-American. His performance in the Cotton Bowl included 14 tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles, earning him defensive MVP honors.

Parsons opted out of the 2020 season because of concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic and entered the 2021 NFL draft. He completed a criminology degree at Penn State.

The Dallas Cowboys selected Parsons in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft with the 12th overall pick. After defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence suffered a foot injury, Dallas moved Parsons back toward the defensive end position he had played in high school. He responded with 13 sacks in his rookie season, a Cowboys rookie record.

Parsons was unanimously named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2021, while also earning first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. He followed with 13.5 sacks in 2022, 14 sacks in 2023 and 12 sacks in 2024. His 2022 season included a 36-yard fumble return for a touchdown against the Chicago Bears.

He became one of two players in NFL history to record at least 12 sacks in each of his first four seasons, joining Reggie White. Parsons also became the first Cowboys defensive rookie to win AP Defensive Rookie of the Year and the first defensive rookie in franchise history to make the AP All-Pro team.

The Packers acquired Parsons from the Cowboys on August 28, 2025, after a contract dispute and trade request brought his Dallas tenure to an end. He chose to wear No. 1 in Green Bay, a number that had not been worn by a Packers player in a regular-season game since team founder Curly Lambeau used it in the 1920s.

In his first Packers season, Parsons recorded a career-high three sacks against the Arizona Cardinals and finished with 12.5 sacks in 14 games. He suffered a non-contact knee injury against the Denver Broncos in December and was placed on season-ending injured reserve. Despite the injury, he was selected for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games and earned first-team All-Pro honors.

Parsons participated in the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend Celebrity Game, where he scored 37 points, collected 16 rebounds and made four steals in a Team Shannon victory. His performance earned him the game's Most Valuable Player award.

He later signed a multi-year extension with Warner Bros. Discovery and became president of its American football digital sports media division, B/R Gridiron.