Micah Parsons unsure whether he'll return vs. Niners

Dallas Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons is unsure whether he will play Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers after missing the past two games with a high left ankle sprain.

Parsons, who spent the Cowboys' bye week getting treatment on his ankle, said the decision will come down to himself, the medical staff and coaches.

"I don't think there's anything I can't do physically," Parsons said Monday. "It's just more they want to make sure I'm at my best. They kind of know what my best looks like, so it's just one thing I've got to keep working and showing it. They're monitoring the situation."

Parsons suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of the Cowboys' Sept. 26 victory against the New York Giants. The Cowboys beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5 without Parsons, but suffered a 47-9 loss to the Detroit Lions in the second game he missed.

The Cowboys allowed 492 total yards, 184 yards rushing, and the Lions scored on nine of 12 possessions.

These are the first games Parsons has missed due to injury. He missed one game in 2021 because of COVID-19.

"It's humbling. It's kind of one of them things where you wish you were out there with your brothers whether it's good or bad, especially during the hard times because that kind of builds the relationship, that builds the brotherhood," Parsons said. "It's kind of hard to put your judgment there because you're not [there] physically. You can't tell what's going on.

"It's been a challenging time for me and it's been a lot of time for me to reflect on myself and how I can get better and what things I can do to help this team get better. So I'm using this time right and I just can't wait to get back out there."

Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said Parsons is "making progress." At the time of the injury, the belief was Parsons would need 2-4 weeks to recover. McCarthy did not say whether Parsons would practice Wednesday when the Cowboys begin in earnest their preparation for the 49ers.

"My hopes are always very high," Parsons said. "I love great challenges. I love being able to beat the odds, so, like I said, I'm going to put this up to my trainers and my coaching staff."