Playing behind starter Chuck Burkhart and Mike Cooper, Parsons saw limited action, appearing in a couple of games, complete five of twelve passes and one interception.
With Burkhart graduated, Parsons moved up to second string behind Cooper on a stacked squad that featured future NFL stars Franco Harris and Lydell Mitchell in the backfield.
The Nittany Lions routed the Longhorns, 30–6, A key 19 yard pass from Hufnagel to Parsons helped set up a Penn state score.
The Bears finished 4–9–1 under head coach Abe Gibron,[6] but Parsons scored a touchdown during rookie season, in his first game as a pro.
[7] Not long after Atlanta Falcons defensive end John Zook returned a fumble for a score, Bears quarterback Bobby Douglas found Parsons for a game tying six yard touchdown pass.
[9] Parsons became a starter for the first time in his pro career the following year, changing positions from tight end to punter in order to replace Bobby Joe Green.
[11] The 1975 season saw the arrival of new head coach Jack Pardee and rookie running back Walter Payton.
[2] Parsons' second career touchdown came from quarterback Gary Huff in the Bears 27–14 win over the rival Green Bay Packers.
[16] He would remain so until 1983, when Mike Ditka cut Parsons after week 14 and replaced him with ex-Packers punter Ray Stachowicz.
The team managed to sign quarterback Cliff Stoudt away from the Pittsburgh Steelers,[18] and running back Joe Cribbs from the Buffalo Bills.
[21] After the 1985 season, with the USFL's future in doubt due to a lawsuit against the NFL, Parsons retired from pro football.