Saquon Barkley, Micah Parsons Share Thoughts on Facing Each Other Sunday

Former Penn Stater stars Micah Parsons and Saquon Barkley will be on opposite sidelines Sunday when the Cowboys host the Giants.

There are a lot of intense, bitter rivalries in the NFL. Though there happens to be many great ones, the NFC East is home to some of the best the league has to offer, such as that between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys.

With the Cowboys currently sitting at 3-1 and the Giants at 1-3, the division remains very much up for grabs.

But this season, there’s a new twist to this fierce rivalry that for a change, is not one that divides these teams but rather brings them together. Earlier this year, the Cowboys selected the best linebacker in the draft out of Penn State, in Micah Parsons. 

As it turns out, just about three and half years ago, the Giants just so happened to pick the best running back in the draft, also out of Penn State, in Saquon Barkley.

Interestingly enough, both never played together while they attended Penn State. Parsons’ freshman year was in 2018, which was the season Barkley declared for the draft and was selected by the Giants.

That said, Barkley was a part of the enrolling process to bring Parsons to Penn State a few years ago, forming a close friendship with the rookie in the process that is still very much alive to this day.

“I kind of helped recruit him to come to Penn State,” Barkley told reporters this week. “Obviously, (Penn State Head) Coach (James) Franklin and all those guys, (Penn State Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers) Coach Pry and (Giants Defensive Line Coach and Former Penn State Associate Head) Coach (Sean) Spencer did a really good job of helping me get there too.

"So, I knew him since he was 17, 18-years old and I was happy to see a guy from the area he’s from--he put a lot of hard work in to be able to come in the NFL and (he’s) slowly emerging as one of the marquee players in the NFL.”

What’s intriguing about this relationship is that before getting drafted by the Cowboys earlier this year, Barkley and Parsons had a small chance of being on the same NFL team together.

The Giants originally had the 11th overall pick and were linked to Parsons. But the Giants decided to accept a trade with the Bears that gave Chicago the 11th overall pick. In return, New York received the 20th overall pick, a fifth-round pick, and first and fourth round picks in the 2022 draft.

The Bears chose quarterback Justin Fields, selected 11th overall. Parsons was snapped up on the next pick by the Cowboys, who had traded their 10th overall pick to the Eagles for Philadelphia’s 12th overall.

“I was texting him when (the draft trade) happened, and he was up there and obviously I saw the trade. I’m happy for him. He got drafted to a great organization, a great team and he’s a heck of a player and I think he’s showing how special he is already and he’s only going to get better."

Parsons admitted that he was somewhat surprised the Giants passed on him.

“All pre-draft, they seemed pretty interested,” he told reporters in Dallas. “They said they were interested, called me pre-draft saying, 'Hope you fall to us.'”

Given how things worked out, Parsons, now a starter on the Cowboys defense, is not looking back nor is he looking to stick it to the Giants or, in particular, Barkley when the Giants go on offense this Sunday at AT&T Stadium.

“It’s business. It is what it is," Parsons said. "Everybody got their personal choices. But it ain’t no motive or motivation. I just know every time I’m going to come out there, I’m going to ball. They made their decision. Dallas made their decision. I think Dallas made the best decision and I’m just going to show them why they keep making the best decision.”

Barkley has nothin but good wishes for his friend, whom he called a "freak" athletic talent.

"You see clips of him playing defensive end and then you see him playing linebacker. You see him covering. You see just how fast he is running to the ball. He’s a special player," Barkley said. "(I’m) happy for him that he’s having a lot of success.”

And Parsons is happy for Barkley, even if the Giants running back is in his crosshairs this weekend.

“Playing friends is always tough,” said Parsons. “But at the end of the day, he got a job and I got a job and we both got to do our jobs. It's a risky place to play in. He knows what it is and at the end of the day we’re both competitors, ultimate competitors.

"I know he’s going to give me his best shot and I know when we meet up in the offseason I don’t want to have that upper leverage and stuff but I’m going to make sure I do my best against him.”

---

More from Giants Country

• New York Giants Need More from Their Pass Rush
• New York Giants Week 5 Opponent Breakdown: Dallas Cowboys Offense
• How the Giants Benefitted (and Can Continue to Benefit) from Kadarius Toney
• Daniel Jones Coming of Age After Rocky Start to Giants Career
• New York Giants Week 5 Opponent Breakdown: Dallas Cowboys Defense
• Behind Enemy Lines: Five Questions Answered by Cowboy Maven Reporter Timm Hamm
• Cowboys LB Micah Parsons Holds No Resentment Toward Giants for Passing on Him in Draft
• Giants Edge Rusher Azeez Ojulari Earns Recognition for Strong NFL Start
• Saquon Barkley Showing Growing Confidence in Return from Torn ACL
• New York Giants: Storylines, Surprises and What to Watch After First Four Games of 2021: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Join the Giants Country Community

• Sign up for our FREE digest newsletter
• Follow and like us on Facebook
• Submit your questions for our mailbag
• Listen and subscribe to the daily LockedOn Giants podcast.
• Subscribe and like the new LockedOn Giants YouTube Channel
• Sign up for our FREE message board forums
• Subscribe and like our YouTube Channel

Become a premium Fan Nation member and get access to all of Fan Nation’s premium content plus a subscription to Sports Illustrated! Click here for more information or to begin your free 30-day trial.