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Pro Football Hall of Famer Patrick Willis was like the rest of the football world when he saw Dallas Cowboys trade with four times pro bowl Edge Rusher Micah Parsons for Green Bay Packers.
He couldn’t believe it, but not because of the general shock factor.
“It confused me a little to be honest with you. Not so much about the trade, but it was more, so the fact that he went to Green Bay,” Willis told Pakinomist Digital while discussing his partnership with Athletic and its new connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Games in front of the 2025 NFL season.
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Dallas Cowboys defensive than Micah Parsons goes on the field after the team’s FLF -Football match against Baltimore Ravens Saturday 16 August 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
Willis, a seven-time pro bowl-linebacker, who starred in the San Francisco 49ers, was confused by Jerry Jones, who sent Parsons to Green Bay.
Willis worried about Parsons’ past injuries and now has to play in a place where temperatures regularly come during freezing during the year.
Cowboys Big Troy Aikman questions Jerry Jones’ priorities after Micah Parson’s trade
“I’m like ‘man, with you who have the injuries you’ve had to go somewhere like Green Bay, it’s getting cold,’ said Willis.” It’s getting cold and having damage that isn’t the place you want to go to. “
Of course, Parsons had nothing to say where he was on his way, but he signed a four-year-old, $ 188 million prolonged extension to stay in Green Bay in the foreseeable future.
Parsons is also already dealing with an injury that ESPN reported on Monday that he may need an epidural injection to play the team’s home opener against the Detroit Lions in week 1. Parsons has any intention to play, but his “back tight” term while sitting out of cowboy’s training camp was not a fib.
Parsons is dealing with an L4/L5 facet connection stew in his back right now, and he also had a high-anchor sprain last season that made him miss four games. He also fought his hand, knee and shoulder injuries during the 2022 season.
Green Bay Packers Micah Parsons speaks at her initial news conference on Friday, August 29, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (AP PHOTO/MORRY GASH)
Unfortunately, damage is a common thing that happens in the NFL, as every player will say that fighting through them is a must throughout the violent campaign. But Parsons’ home field for the past four seasons was in a climate-controlled AT&T Stad-Lambeau Field is the opposite.
So Willis believes that Parsons’ main priority will be to remain healthy instead of circle that week 4 matchup against cowboys.
“I feel like it is one of the things where it will be healthy for him,” Willis said. It all won’t be, ‘Oh man, I can’t wait to play that team.’
“You have to play outside. He wants a lot of other things on his mind. I’m sure he wants to be hungry for that game when it happens. But for him I think the biggest thing will be healthy for this new team.”
Willis said he doesn’t want Parsons nothing but the best, and he’s excited to see what he can do with this new opportunity in NFC North.
Hall of Famer Patrick Willis has some injury problems for Micah Parsons when traveling north to play for Green Bay Packers. (Getty Images)
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Willis, together with Eli Manning and Devin Hester, collaborated with The Athletic for his new connections: Sports Edition Puzzles, where each NFL team fans can prove their expertise before the GameDay by solving the puzzle.
“I’m super excited to be part of this campaign with the athletic. That’s one of the things where I’ve been a puzzle since I’ve been a kid, so to be part of this campaign, I’m excited because you get your football knowledge testing,” Willis said.
