Micah Parsons keeps awkwardly complimenting the 49ers

Despite back-to-back postseason meetings, the long and storied rivalry between the 49ers and the Cowboys isn’t as heated as it once was, and it’s certainly not being helped by Micah Parsons — the Niners’ biggest cheerleader in recent weeks.

“Super happy for Nick Bosa, man,” Parsons told reporters. “He really showed why he was the best player in the league last year. It gives you something to chase, man. And not in terms of his contract, but in terms of how great he was. If you study his mindset and how patient he was and let the game come to him. He knows that I’m coming for him. He even said, ‘I won this year, and I know you’ll be coming for it next year.’ And I said, ‘You’re damn right.’ It’s going to be a good chase.”

The effusive praise makes some sense. Bosa obviously started the compliment train, per Parsons’ remarks, but also reset the market for the league’s best defensive ends (Parsons’ rookie deal is up at the end of next season).

It’s the other compliments, though, to Drake Jackson and Brock Purdy that might have anyone who’s been following the Cowboys-Niners rivalry for the past few decades scratching their heads.

“A guy that no one’s talking about is Drake Jackson. He had three sacks. Why is no one talking about Drake Jackson?” Parsons said on his podcast Monday. “… I think he’s a person I’m going to have to look out for.”

Parsons — who covered all the major football topics of the week — then went on to offer glowing praise for the Niners’ offense, which he said “can challenge the Cowboys’ defense.” He praised Purdy’s performance Sunday and said defenses will start to circle their matchup with Purdy, “the same way they come for [Aaron] Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes.” He then complimented Bosa for his contract again.

There’s clearly a bit of Parsons creating a reel here for a post-career media gig a la Warriors veteran Draymond Green. But that doesn’t make it any less strange that he’s complimenting a hated rival at every turn, especially one that just gave him two consecutive painful postseason losses.

Personality matters when trying to make it in media, but being too kind to your competitors could be a sign of a lack thereof.