Cowboys’ Linebacker Micah Parsons may have to take some of his rookie salary and build a second house just to hold all of his accolades. The 12th overall pick was named a First-Team All-Pro, the NFC Defensive Player of the Month on two occasions, and the Pepsi Zero Rookie of the Week three times. Also, he was voted the Rookie of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Year by PFWA on Tuesday, but it didn’t end there.
The 101 Awards have honored the top players and coaches each season since 1969, making it the longest-running awards event dedicated exclusively to the NFL. Parsons, the swiss army knife of the Cowboys’ defense, took home the NFC Defensive Player of the Year honor.
Parsons was the movable chess piece for Defensive Coordinator Dan Quinn and the league’s top defense in terms of turnovers and stopping opposing offenses on third down. Taking snaps at linebacker, defensive end, cornerback, and even safety displayed just how versatile Parsons is.
“There is nobody like me,” Parsons said earlier this month. “I feel like you can easily find a good pass rusher. Look at Myles Garrett. Look at T.J. Watt. But you can’t put them against any running back in the NFL. You can get a good linebacker. He can cover. Look at Eric Kendricks, Fred Warner. They can cover, but they can’t pass rush like I can. I don’t see them guard receivers like I can. Really, the tape speaks for itself.”
Parsons had a phenomenal rookie campaign by racking up 84 tackles (20 tackles for loss), 13 sacks, 30 quarterback hits, three forced fumbles, and three passes defended. His best stretch of the season came in the final two full months when amassed 10.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, and 18 quarterback hits.
Parsons is a virtual lock to receive NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and he’s a top candidate for Defensive Player of the Year.
The Cowboys hit the jackpot when they added Parsons to their roster, and the scary thing for offenses league-wide is that he’s only one year into his career so his dominance is something to expect for the foreseeable future.
