Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Micah Parsons’ parents, Terrence and Sherese Parsons, played a significant role in his journey to becoming an NFL star.
An American professional football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys said he wants to play with Abdul Carter in the NFL.
Highlights
- Micah Parsons’s father, Terrence Parsons, was a US Military officer and a passionate football lover who coached at Harrisburg District School.
- His mother, Sherese Parsons, worked two jobs to provide for the family while Terrence was away on military duties.
- His parents considered aborting the footballer due to financial and emotional strain.
Micah began playing football as a defensive end and running back at Harrisburg High School and committed to play for Penn State University.
He started as a middle linebacker under head coach James Franklin and was named the 2019 Cotton Bowl Classic defensive MVP.
Later, the Dallas Cowboys selected him in the first round (12th overall) in the 2021 NFL draft and signed his four-year rookie contract on June 9, 2021.
Micah saw immediate success playing defensive end, particularly as a pass rusher. He earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 8.
Moreover, he was voted into the Pro Bowl, and the Associated Press named him first-team All-Pro. He was also named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team and unanimously named the Defensive Rookie of the Year.
His fellow players ranked him 17th on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2024, and the Cowboys picked up the fifth-year option on his contract on April 24, 2024.
Micah Parsons’s Parents, A Key Figure To Becoming NFL Star
25-year-old Micah Parson was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on May 26, 1999. His parents named him Micah Aaron Parsons.
He grew up with two siblings, brother Terrence Parsons Jr. and sister Shatara Parsons. Shatara played basketball for the California University of Pennsylvania.
— Terrence Parsons Jr (@Tpars_boii) May 1, 2021
Terrence and Sherese Parsons, natives of Pennsylvania, hold American nationality. They are supportive parents who encouraged their youngest son to pursue a career in sports.
Since high school, his parents have immensely contributed to his athletic career.
Terrence was a US military officer and a passionate football lover who served as the head coach at Harrisburg District School.
He enrolled Micah in the late Charles Chisholm-coached pee-wee football, which became the foundation for his football journey.
Similarly, Terrence’s wisdom shaped his perspective on life. He taught him valuable lessons that extend beyond football.
On the other hand, Sherese cared for three children when her husband was out on military duty. She played a crucial role in supporting the family, helping them stay focused and motivated towards their goals.
When the Cowboys drafted Micah in 2021, his mother moved to Texas to support him. The footballer is close to his mom, and she still manages some of his finances.
Nonetheless, Terrence is a philanthropist and runs the Parsons Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to aiding underprivileged children. Sherese also helps the foundations.
Micah’s parents are fans of the Dallas Cowboys. They taught him to keep his head up through all trials and tribulations and believe in God.
Micah Parsons’s Parents, Terrence And Sherese, Considered To Abort Him
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parson’s parents already had two children when his mother found out she was pregnant with him.
His parents weren’t sure if they could afford to keep him due to financial and emotional strain.
His mother, Sherese Parsons worked two jobs to provide for the family while her husband was in and out of their lives due to his duties.
She handled most of the responsibility alone, and having a third child was a tough decision. She was struggling and told Terrence that she was thinking of going to the clinic to abort.
However, Sister Hall, a woman from her church, called her out of nowhere as she sensed that Sherese was hiding something. Only Terrence knew about the pregnancy.
Sister Hall talked her out of the abortion when Sherese admitted she was contemplating it.
That’s why my mom always said, ‘God looks over you, son.’ It was one of the first lessons she taught me. It always seemed like I was brought into this world to do something bigger than just play football.
Micah Parsons
Furthermore, Sherese also had a dream that solidified her decision.
She dreamed of a name, Micah, and believed that was a sign that her son was destined to do something bigger. They decided to have him, which changed the NFL history.
Additional Information
- Micah Parsons graduated from Penn State with a degree in criminology in 2021.
- He has a son, Malcolm, born in May 2018, and a daughter, Milana, born in January 2023.
- He signed a multi-year extension deal with Warner Bros. Discovery, which made him president of their American football digital sports media division, B/R Gridiron.
- He has amassed an estimated net worth of $7 million as of 2025.
