Mike McCarthy analyzes Micah Parsons sumo wrestling, offseason opportunities

The Dallas Cowboys have been without star edge rusher Micah Parsons for the beginning of the offseason workout program as he embarks on an overseas tour with fellow NFL star C.J. Stroud. According to head coach Mike McCarthy, the team isn’t taking Parsons’ absence as a slight. In fact, he encourages his young defender to “broaden his horizons” while he has the opportunity.

Last week, the former first-rounder went viral after posting footage from a sumo wrestling tutorial in Tokyo. McCarthy told reporters that he saw the video and was astounded that the sumo wrestler going up against Parsons was under 18 years old.

“Absolutely, sure did,” McCarthy said Sunday. “That man was 17 years old?”

Throughout Parsons’ travels, he’s stayed in touch with his team and his head coach. The Cowboys defender visited the Great Wall of China, held a youth football camp with Stroud in Beijing, threw out the first pitch at a Japanese baseball stadium and modeled clothes in the streets of Tokyo before returning stateside.

“We’ve been in touch,” McCarthy said. “We talked about the technique and about the experience of being over there but, hey, think about it. That’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity so, I think any of our guys that have that type of opportunity to broaden their horizons, I’d be the first one to tell them to go.”

Parsons practices sumo wrestling in Japan

After throwing out a first pitch at the Tokyo Dome, home of the Yomiuri Giants, Parsons and Stroud then did some sumo wrestling with pros in Tokyo.

The Bleacher Report crew, with whom the duo have been working since their draft night coverage, captured several bouts of Parsons grappling with a sumo wrestler. At first, the former first-rounder looks out-matched, but he quickly figures out the technique. After his first attempt, Parsons took some light ribbing from the wrestler, egged on by Stroud.