The NFL Players Association released its first-ever Players' All-Pro team selections, and among the deemed snubs, there was an especially notable one.
Micah Parsons, despite his lauded performance, the reverence he's earned throughout the league, and his acquisition of other honors was left off of this particular list.
Here is the inaugural Players' All-Pro Team, via the NFL Players Association: pic.twitter.com/KyeqjecgEG
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 11, 2023
Among the almost 2,500 replies to Adam Schefter's tweet announcing the list, there were plenty of NFL fans who expressed their displeasure about The Lion being left off.
As for Micah, he made it clear that he noticed the slight.
He quickly pointed out, however, that other priorities are currently top of mind.
Without directly mentioning the NFLPA Players' All-Pro Team, Parsons tweeted, “Man I'm in playoff mode fu** that list! Congrats to those that made it tho! They deserve it !”
Man I'm in playoff mode fu** that list! Congrats to those that made it tho! They deserve it !
— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) January 11, 2023
How did this happen?
It's important to note that the particular All-Pro team being mentioned here is something separate from the widely recognized All-Pro selections designated annually by the Associated Press.
It's also separate from any of the other All-Pro teams selected by other press organizations.
The NFL Players Association All-Pro Team is voted on only by active players. The NFLPA explained the need for such a list saying:
“We think it is important that players take the time to define ourselves, because so far, we have allowed everyone else to either pick or dilute our voices.”
The Voting
The main theories circulating about why Micah was snubbed revolve around the way voting was conducted. Here are the rules as outlined by the NFLPA:
- Only active NFL players can vote and they get only one vote.
- If a player missed five or more games as of Week 15, then they are ineligible. This is to ensure that we are choosing the best players who had the most impact this season. Being available counts.
- Players cannot vote for themselves or for their own teammates.
- Players vote for the position group they play in and line up against. For example, centers can vote for:
- The best Center in the league
- The best nose tackle in the league
- The best Interior defensive lineman in the league
- The best off-ball linebacker in the league
- We had each various player leaders from each team nominate their two best special teams players (or “core teamers”) for the ballot. We wanted the locker rooms to decide who should represent their team in that position.
Understanding the rules above has led to two fan theories about why Micah didn't make the list:
- Not every player views Micah Parsons by his officially designated position of linebacker, so he received fewer votes, or votes were split because of differing interpretations.
- The players most likely to line up against Micah and notice his impact on the game would be offensive tackles. Because of the rules, though, tackles would be voting on defensive ends, not linebackers.
In other words, the voting restrictions create problems for players like Micah who are hybrids or play multiple roles.
Was it a true snub?
As an observant fan, I'm inclined to believe that the latter theory presented is a big part of why Micah didn't make the NFLPA All-Pro Team.
There hasn't been a game — hardly a snap — in which Micah Parsons participated and didn't have an impact. Even in the midst of a “sack slump” and when he recently played with a clubbed hand, the effect he has on the movement and decision-making of opposing QBs is obvious.
I could start running down a list of stats and notable plays that I believe make Micah Parsons qualified for the inaugural NFLPA All-Pro Team, but my thoughts on the matter are not relevant enough in this situation to warrant that amount of effort.
This team was selected by players, and their votes were based on who they believe are the most impactful players in the game right now.
I have no knowledge of who voted, how they voted, or what the criteria were for their choices. Additionally, I don't feel as comfortable criticizing players in this situation as I would feel criticizing members of the press.
According to the NFLPA, this list is “the first true representation of players recognizing the best of us.”
Micah will likely receive plenty of other accolades for his performance this season. He's already been named to the Pro Bowl twice. He won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award for 2021. He also earned the professional Butkus Award last season and was a First-Team All-Pro in 2021.
The AP All-Pro team will be announced during the 12th annual NFL Honors event on Feb. 9, 2023.
Playoff Mode Micah
Micah Parsons is creating a tradition of making headline-worthy statements in advance of Wild Card Weekend.
Last season, he responded to questions about the San Francisco 49ers' style of “bully ball” by saying, “I'm from Harrisburg where the bullies get bullied.”
The statement was referenced from that Wednesday throughout the weekend and even after the Cowboys' loss to the 49ers.
The “playoff mode” component of this recent tweet is seemingly having a similar impact. Fans are responding positively to Micah's focus on the postseason. Many people are anticipating one of the most dominant performances we've seen from Micah Parsons in several weeks.
Micah's decision to focus on the playoffs should come as no surprise.
After the Cowboys' loss to the Washington Commanders on Sunday, an unsettled Micah Parsons made it clear that only winning would ultimately satisfy him.
“If people [are] doing this for stats, Pro Bowls, whatever that is, they might as well just hang it up now,” Parsons said, “I'm playing this for the long run. I'm not gon' be young forever… I wanna win while I got this chance. This opportunity.”
It's common to assume that players say things like “F*** that list” as a way to minimize the importance of an accolade so that they feel better about missing out. For Micah Parsons, however, this does not come off as embellishment.
He has always presented himself as the type of player who holds himself to a high standard and values team success over individual recognition.
