Football is undoubtedly a physically demanding sport, but players at least wear padding and protective gear while pummeling each other on the gridiron.

Micah Parsons tried an unconventional way to bolster his pain tolerance.

Boxer AJ Graham posted a video on TikTok of him and Parsons trading unprotected punches to the gut. They threw haymakers until the other person gave up.

Parsons winced and grabbed his side in clear agony after Graham’s first punch. The Dallas Cowboys star quit after Graham withstood his second punch.

While he made a wise business decision to avoid another strike, few would question Parsons’ toughness.

The 6-foot-3, 245-pound edge rusher has dominated since joining Dallas in 2021. Parsons has 40.5 sacks, 89 quarterback hits, and seven forced fumbles in 50 regular-season games over three seasons.

Parsons earned his third straight Pro Bowl nod and finished third in the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year voting behind Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt. He was the runner-up in each of his first two NFL seasons.

Dallas unsurprisingly picked up Parsons’ fifth-year option, keeping him under contract through the 2025 season. However, the Cowboys must eventually find a way to extend their superstar defender.

Parsons skipped the start of their voluntary offseason program this week. He also didn’t attend last year’s early meetings either, so his absence isn’t necessarily related to contract talks.