If New York Giants fans wanted another reason not to get along with Kadarius Toney, Micah Parsons just provided them a beauty. The Dallas Cowboys All-Pro made a stunning accusation concerning conversations he had with the Giants before they selected Toney in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft.
Perennial Pro Bowl pass-rusher Parsons revealed all to former NFL cornerback and current CBS Sports analyst Bryant McFadden. Speaking during media week at Super Bowl 59, Parsons told McFadden the Giants “lied to me. People don’t know this. They told me if I fell to 11 that they was going to pick me.”
When McFadden expressed doubts, Parsons doubled down, “‘Cause when the Cowboys traded back, I was like ‘Oh shoot, I’m going to New York.”
Parsons also admitted the draft snub from Big Blue is “why I punish the Giants every time.” When he reminded McFadden the Giants traded further back to pick 20 and used it to select disappointing wide receiver Toney, McFadden shot a look of sheer disbelief at the camera.
McFadden’s incredulous expression makes sense after Parsons has routinely bossed the Giants en route to becoming a four-time Pro Bowler. Meanwhile, Toney is no longer with any team and struggled to get off a practice squad in 2024.
Micah Parsons Has Made the Giants Pay
Tuning up the Giants has become a happy habit for Parsons since he entered the pros. The 25-year-old “has tallied 4.5 sacks and 13 quarterback hits (second-most against any single opponent)” to help establish an 8-0 record against the Giants, according to Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports.
Parsons logged 1.5 sacks when the Cowboys beat the Giants on Thanksgiving to complete yet another season’s sweep. He got to backup quarterback Drew lock after swatting Evan Neal aside all too easily.
Plays like this are the contributions of a true game-wrecker off the edge. That’s something the Giants have missed for too long, despite their best attempts to solve the problem.
Those attempts included drafting Kayvon Thibodeaux seventh overall in 2022. He’s had his moments, notably an 11.5-sack campaign in his second season, but Thibodeaux hasn’t been able to match Parsons as a consistent force.
Nor has Brian Burns, the veteran Giants general manager Joe Schoen traded two draft picks for last offseason. Burns had 8.5 sacks, but he’s not forcing offenses to alter their blocking schemes the way Parsons does as somebody who can blitz from multiple spots.
Pairing Parsons with an interior menace like All-Pro nose tackle Dexter Lawrence II would have elevated the Giants defense into the realms of the elite. It’s one more what if moment that makes the decision to trade back and draft Toney tougher to justify.
Giants Guilty of Major Draft Whiff With Kadarius Toney
The Giants got next-to nothing from their investment in Toney. Injuries and poor performance led to him being traded for Darren Waller in 2023, but the Pro Bowl tight end had just one modest season with the Giants before retiring.
Toney initially went on to bigger and better when he helped the Kansas City Chiefs win Super Bowl 57. He wasn’t shy about trolling his former team on multiple occasions.
Fortunes changed for Toney ahead of last season’s Super Bowl. He eventually landed with the Cleveland Browns, but Toney couldn’t make a rare chance to impress count.
The 26-year-old has become synonymous with unfulfilled potential. Toney also counts as one of the great draft misses in Giants history, perhaps the worst, knowing they could’ve taken Parsons.
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