The Dallas Cowboys have to make some tough calls on paying their players before the season starts. While CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons, Dak Prescott, and Zack Martin are in line to get paid, the question of who gets paid first is still very open-ended.
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However, their teammate and Cowboys safety Malik Hooker stirred up some trouble as he very publically gave his thoughts on the matter, and many were not happy with his outspokenness. Skip Bayless, Paul Pierce, and Keyshawn Johson discussed the nature and the implications of such a public revelation on their show ‘Undisputed.’
While discussing Hooker’s take on the matter statement, Paul Pierce made his displeasure with him blatantly clear. He said,
“I am in the professional sports fraternity and I understand that there is an unwritten rule. You don’t have to say this. You don’t talk about another player’s position on money.”
While there might not have been any ill intentions, Hooker openly voiced that linebacker Parsons should get paid last. He reasoned that Parsons hadn’t unlocked his full potential on the field. Not only that, but he called out Parsons’ podcasting endeavors, indicating that the linebacker focuses more on his podcast than on his run game.
While professional sports is a business, a teammate’s fundamental duty is to ensure that he is supportive of his teammates. While Hooker might not have had any ill intentions, his statement can cause problems for Parsons. And while he did mention that Parsons has barely scratched the surface of his potential, his performance in the 2023 season speaks otherwise.
Contrary to Hooker’s statement, Parsons has done a bit more than just scratch the surface of his potential. He has had a stellar regular season with 36 solo tackles, 28 assists, 14.0 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery. Moreover, Parsons also made it to his 3rd Pro Bowl this year.
So, Malik’s statement and his reasoning don’t hold a lot of ground. And while Paul Pierce shared his displeasure about the statement, Keyshawn Johnson, the original interviewer, also gave his thoughts on the matter.
Johnson “Surprised” by Cowboys Safety’s Statement
Interestingly, Keyshawn was the one who interviewed Hooker when he made the statement. He was a little surprised with the way Hooker spoke about Parsons getting paid. During his conversation with Hooker, he even tried to lead him away from the initial question of who should be getting paid first.
However, Hooker didn’t hold back. Keyshawn personally shared the same sentiment as Paul Pierce.
It was astonishing to see a player make such bold statements about his teammate’s paycheck unless it’s in their support, per Johnson. While speaking to Skip, he said, “I was surprised though Skip because typically as a player you don’t really get into other people’s finances unless [you’re] endorsing them to get paid.”
As they discussed Hooker’s controversial statement, all the analysts were a little surprised by the safety’s position. While it’s normal for a player to speak in favor of his teammate getting paid, a player blatantly placing his teammate last in line to get paid is not a great image for the Cowboys.
While it’s unlikely his statements are going to make any impact on Parsons’ position in the line, he has definitely stirred up some trouble in the locker room, considering the two are locker mates! In a response that has since been deleted, Parsons also hit out on Hookers for his public statements. Trouble was already brewing in Dallas, but it seems Hookers has taken it up a notch.
