In recent years, more athletes have jumped into the media world by launching their own podcasts. While many wait until their playing careers are over, Micah Parsons wasted little time, launching his show before his rookie contract had even ended.
But getting into the podcast game early hasn’t come without its share of controversy. Parsons’ willingness to speak his mind about fellow players and teams has earned him plenty of criticism.
Now, the Green Bay Packers star has someone in his corner, with former Super Bowl champion Aqib Talib pushing back against the backlash.
Aqib Talib Defends Micah Parsons’ Podcast
Parsons launched “The EDGE” more than three years ago, giving him a platform to share his unfiltered opinions on the NFL. His approach has not always gone over well, drawing pushback from former players, media analysts, and even a teammate.
Critics have even questioned whether the podcast distracts him from football, while others have objected to his comments about fellow NFL players. Talib, however, sees little reason for concern.
The former Denver Broncos cornerback joined “NFL on FOX” as an analyst after retiring and now hosts a podcast with Skip Bayless called “The Gridiron.” During a recent segment on the show, Talib explained why he believes Parsons is simply taking advantage of the platform available to him.
“I ain’t really see nothing wrong with it either. It’s a new day and age, bro. These guys got platforms, you know what I’m saying? This is what they do,” Talib said.
The Super Bowl winner also pointed to players such as Caleb Downs and Amon-Ra St. Brown, who have embraced the media space, arguing that podcasts have become a natural part of the modern sports landscape.
PREDICT THE NFL SEASON:PFN’s Free NFL Playoff Predictor
“It’s a new day and age, man. And if you’re going to have a podcast, you might as well speak your mind. Ain’t no point in beating around the bush and saying [expletive] on it. You feel me? You might as well speak your mind. Get your subs up,” he said.
Parsons faced his strongest backlash after criticizing Jayden Daniels following the Washington Commanders’ overtime tie with the New York Giants. The Packers star took issue with Daniels’ lack of urgency in the closing seconds, arguing that his decisions cost Washington a chance to score.
SET YOUR LINEUPS:PFN’s Free Fantasy Start/Sit Optimizer
With 12 seconds left and no timeouts, Daniels took a sack instead of getting rid of the ball, and Washington could not get lined up to spike it before time expired. Parsons argued that the quarterback’s failure to recognize the urgency of the situation left the Commanders empty-handed in Week 5.
“Jayden Daniels probably cost my man Dan Quinn his job, to be honest with you. To be honest with you. And, like, I’m a big Jayden Daniels fan. But the reality is, he probably cost a lot of people their jobs this past weekend,” Parsons said.
“Respectfully, we get coached so much on these situations that, like, I’m a defensive player, and this [expletive] is programmed into me. I know what to do in those situations. There’s no way I’m taking a sack with 14 seconds left and no timeouts.
“Mind you, it’d be different if Jayden Daniels were a rookie. This is your third year. This your third year. You’ve been to the NFC Championship Game. You’ve been in big moments before. And to me, even after a sack, you’re casually getting up.”
Whether Talib’s support and that of others will encourage Parsons to stick with his unfiltered style remains to be seen. The criticism could also prompt him to rethink his approach in the coming weeks.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.