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'It Was False': New Cowboys LB Micah Parsons Addresses Hazing Issue

The Cowboys 'know I’m not a character concern at all. I think I’m a great person' - Micah Parsons

Mike Fisher

FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys entered this NFL Draft process with an open mind about the character concerns and off-field issues attached to All-American linebacker Micah Parsons. And they came away unconcerned enough to select him with the No. 12 overall pick on Thursday.

“(Dallas) did all the background checks,” Parsons told us on a media call late Thursday night. "They know I’m not a character concern at all. I think I’m a great person, and I’m going to keep becoming a better person and father (to young son Malcolm) every day.”

Confirmed Cowboys COO Stephen Jones: “We did a tremendous amount of homework. We felt really good about anything he had that there might be a concern about. We did backwards, forwards, any which way you can do it.”

Parsons is accused by former Penn State teammate Isaiah Humphries in a lawsuit against the school of being involved in "hazing'' actions of a violent and sexual nature. (He is not, however, named in this suit.)

“They were false allegations,” Parsons told us. “There’s nothing pending against me. There’s nothing I would lie about.''

Parsons, who the Cowboys say was their top-rated defensive player in this draft (a source tells us he was "top-six'' overall), said he entered this process unconcerned about how the "character issue'' might impact his draft status.

READ MORE: Sources: Dallas Cowboys Tried To Trade Up To 6 - But Also Ranked Micah As No. 1

“You only get concerned if it’s true,” he said. “I knew it was false, and if I were to fall, it’d be because God wanted me to fall. I believe everything happens for a reason. I’m literally here for a reason. I put it in the air … I spoke this into existence. Now, I have an opportunity to do something great here.”

The 6-foot-3, 245-pounder is referring to his Cotton Bowl performance in DFW in December when it made it clear how much he'd like to end up working here.

“This,'' Parsons told Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on the congratulatory phone call, "is all I’ve ever wanted.''

CONTINUE READING: Dallas Cowboys Top 10 Options In NFL Draft Round 2

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Mike Fisher
MIKE FISHER

Mike Fisher - as a newspaper beat writer and columnist and on radio and TV, where he is an Emmy winner - has covered the NFL since 1983 and the Dallas Cowboys since 1990, is the author of two best-selling books on the Cowboys.

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