Cowboys News: Micah disses T.J. Watt, Gilmore wants to stay, Hendershot had surgery
Several notable Cowboys made the media rounds in Las Vegas and are giving Cowboys Nation plenty to chew on in the lead-up to Super Bowl LVIII. Micah Parsons teased a possible contract extension, talked about where he wants to ultimately play, and also managed to discredit one of the league’s top defenders. Stephon Gilmore announced his desires for next season, Darren Woodson discussed his latest Hall of Fame snub, and Emmitt Smith is just another frustrated Cowboys fan these days.
Elsewhere, we’ve got the latest reactions to Mike Zimmer’s hiring in Dallas, Aden Durde’s departure from Dallas, and how Jerry Jones hopes to convince the NFL to bring the Super Bowl back to Dallas. The league pulls a bait-and-switch regarding Dak Prescott and a big end-of-year award, three Cowboys are revealed to be recuperating from postseason surgery, the O-line gets a Husky addition in a new mock draft, and the NFL is going to Spain for the first time. That and more, in this edition of News and Notes.
An offer for Cowboys fans
For the best local Austin news, sports, entertainment and culture coverage, subscribe to the Austin American-Statesman.
Stephon Gilmore hopes to return to Cowboys | ProFootballTalk
The veteran played all 17 games in what everyone assumed would be a one-year rental deal. But “I want to come back,” Gilmore said this week, following a season where he filled a far more important role than expected after the Cowboys lost Trevon Diggs for the year. “We can’t talk until March. But that’s the goal, because I think we do have the pieces to get to where we want to go, and I want to be part of that.”
Micah Parsons teases contract extension: ‘Ready to be a Cowboy for life’ | Sports Illustrated
The superstar defender said he hopes to be “a Cowboy for life,” but he knows there are other teammates with more pressing contract deadlines. “I know they’ve got to get CeeDee Lamb done, I know that’s a priority right now,” Parsons said. “This is the team I wanted to be with and this is the team I wanted to win a championship with.”
Fix is In: Twitter reacts to NFL rigging FedEx Air award, screwing Cowboys' Prescott | Cowboys Wire
The NFL ran four different polls for the 2023 Air award since the end of the season, and Dallas Cowboys’ QB Dak Prescott won every single one of them. Yet the NFL awarded the year-end honor to San Francisco 49ers QB Brock Purdy instead. And social media took notice.
Report: Cowboys DL coach Aden Durde to become Seahawks defensive coordinator | Cowboys Wire
The English-born Durde had been with Dan Quinn since 2018, in both Atlanta and Dallas, and he interviewed this week for the Cowboys DC job that Quinn just left. Instead, he’ll take over the defensive side of things for new Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald.
Cowboys legend Darren Woodson stays classy about Hall of Fame snub, but he should be in | Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Woodson won’t lash out against Hall of Fame voters or be bitter, but his wait is long past the ridiculous stage. And his disappointment is understandable. “I’m happy for the guys that got in,” Woodson said from his home in Dallas after leaving Las Vegas, site of the Super Bowl and the announcement, before the new class was revealed on Thursday. “They’re much deserving of that. I’m happy for the other dudes. It’s their dream too.”
Twitter reacts to Mike Zimmer's return to Cowboys as new DC | Cowboys Wire
Some on X (formerly Twitter) don’t think Dallas’s hiring pool was deep enough, and there are various thought processes as to why their search mostly focused on former head coaches who have been in the league for a long time. Others believe Zimmer brings a tenacity to Dallas that had been missing, and still others chimed in with statistical evidence as to what they expect as the Cowboys turn the page from Quinn.
3 Cowboys recovering from postseason surgery | Todd Archer
Not sure if this has been out there: CB Stephon Gilmore (shouder), TE Peyton Hendershot (ankle), G T.J. Bass (elbow) had surgeries shortly after season ended. Hendershot, Bass good for offseason program. Gilmore, set to be a FA, has a 4-6 month recovery period but OK for camp.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) February 8, 2024
Emmitt Smith declares he’s 'done' with the Cowboys | Cowboys Wire
The all-time rushing king says he’s “past the word ‘frustration'” when it comes to his former team. “I’ve never been at the place that I am at right now,” said Smith. “It is borderline embarrassing.” He also admits to being disappointed in the development of quarterback Dak Prescott, but he’s optimistic that Mike Zimmer will “make that thing right” with the defense.
Micah Parsons: T.J. Watt is not a top 5 pass rusher in NFL | Steelers Now
Steelers fans thought Watt deserved to win Defensive Player of the Year, but voters gave it to Myles Garrett instead. Parsons agreed, and then ranked his top five pass rushers, placing himself first and leaving Watt out entirely. “The stats don’t lie. He was fifth or sixth, but I think Alex Highsmith might have had a better pass rush win rate. And he had a more double team rate than T.J. Watt if you really want to be statistical,” he said. “Like, this isn’t my stuff. I’m not just pulling it out of my ass.”
Tug of war between Cowboys, Commanders as Quinn pulls, poaches | Cowboys Wire
Quinn’s rival Commanders have lured two top defensive assistants away from Dallas, but were blocked from speaking with tight ends coach Lunda Wells and defensive backs coach Al Harris. The status of Sharrif Floyd, the team’s assistant defensive line coach, is still up in the air, as is that of defensive assistant Pete Ohnegian.
Cynthia Frelund 2024 NFL mock draft 1.0: Bears pass on QB; Commanders land Caleb Williams | NFL.com
In this mock based on which prospect optimizes each team’s wins for the upcoming season, the Cowboys use the 24th overall pick on Washington Huskies offensive lineman Troy Fautanu. He projects as a left tackle but could move inside, too. He’s nasty as a run blocker, exceptional on screens, and would be excellent depth for Tyron Smith at worst.
Is there hope for Mazi Smith after disappointing rookie year for Cowboys DT? | Cowboys Wire
Smith was a big first-round swing for the Cowboys, an athletic freak whose pro value was almost pure speculation. He lost a ton of weight over the course of the season, which seemed to diminish one of his obvious strengths. Now he’ll also face a mental challenge in his second season as he looks to overcome his disappointing rookie campaign and make up for a lost year.
NFL adding Madrid game to regular-season schdule in 2025 | Tom Pelissero
The NFL will play a regular season game in Madrid, Spain in 2025, the league announced today.
The first-ever regular season game in Spain will be played at the iconic Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home to Real Madrid C.F.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 9, 2024
Could a successful World Cup showing bring another Super Bowl to DFW? Jerry Jones hopes so | Dallas Morning News
“Candidly, let me be very clear,” Jones said. “I want another Super Bowl. We should have a Super Bowl here. We deserve a Super Bowl here.” The earliest the game could return to AT&T Stadium is 2028, but he’s hoping that the nine FIFA World Cup matches the venue will host in 2026 will bolster his case and help organizers overlook the problems that plagued Super Bowl XLV.
