In a league where legends are forged through sheer dominance and unbreakable records, something truly extraordinary has unfolded on the gridiron. Micah Parsons, the unstoppable force who was traded from the Dallas Cowboys to the Green Bay Packers in a blockbuster deal on August 28, has just etched his name alongside the immortal Reggie White. That’s right—Parsons is now only the second player in NFL history to rack up double-digit sacks in each of his first five seasons since sacks became an official stat in 1982. The Hall of Famer White held that throne alone for 43 seasons, but Parsons shattered the solitude with a performance that left jaws on the floor during the Packers’ 23-6 thrashing of the Minnesota Vikings.
Let’s break it down: Parsons exploded for two sacks against rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy, pushing his 2025 total to a crisp 10.0. Combined with his monster 52.5 sacks over his first four years in Dallas—where he hit at least 12.0 every single season—this guy is redefining what it means to be an elite pass rusher. Acquired for two first-round picks, Parsons has injected the Packers with the kind of ferocious edge they haven’t seen since White’s glory days in green and gold from 1993 to 1998.
“You always should be appreciative,” Parsons humbly reflected after the game. “It’s such a difficult feat, I wouldn’t say it’s like a feat where it’s very easy or anything like that. But you know, it’s a standard of play.” He even threw in a playful jab at his former Cowboys teammate CeeDee Lamb: “Me and CeeDee Lamb used to say 1,000 yards is like the minimum. So I feel like 10 sacks for the standard of player you are, that should be the minimum you should get. For me, mine was just always 10 sacks. I’m beating (Lamb) right now.”
Since bursting onto the scene as the 12th overall pick in the 2021 draft, Parsons has been a walking highlight reel. Pro Bowl nods in each of his first four seasons? Check. NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2021? Absolutely. First-team All-Pro in 2021 and 2022, second-team in 2023? You bet. And now, in Green Bay, he’s channeling that same Reggie White energy, giving the Packers a pass-rushing phenom who’s turning games into personal demolition derbies.
Teammates can’t stop raving. Defensive tackle Warren Brinson summed it up: “Hey, it’s Micah Parsons man. The guy works. The guy’s super athletic. He’s blessed by God with his God-given ability and he’s taken full advantage of it and he’s reaping the benefits of what God gave him honestly.” Defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington echoed the praise: “He’s been a pleasure to work with, all the way around, from just him in the classroom, him as a person, him as an individual, him bonding and getting to know his teammates. He’s been great. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do. He has great knowledge of the game.”
On Sunday, that knowledge—and raw power—was on full display. Parsons tormented the Vikings with three quarterback hits, two tackles for loss, and those two game-changing sacks that cost Minnesota 12 yards. His first? An inside move that bulldozed left tackle Christian Darrisaw, dropping McCarthy in just 2.58 seconds. The second? A lightning-fast edge rush around Darrisaw in 2.48 seconds flat. He even set up defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt for one of his two sacks, proving he’s not just a solo act—he elevates the entire defense.
“Yeah, they passed the ball,” Parsons shrugged post-game. “I can’t force a team to pass the ball. To be honest with you, they brought me here to pass rush. If a team wants to run 40 times a game, what is your pass rusher supposed to do? All I do is keep the edge. If I can pass rush, I can affect the game.” The Vikings learned that the hard way. After running the ball 17 times in the first half, they fell behind and had to air it out—resulting in a pathetic four yards in the second half, four Packers sacks, and two interceptions.
“We have to find ways to stop the run and work as a team to put teams in position where they can pass the ball,” Parsons added. “The mindset all is the same. I don’t think the production has slowed down any facet. When I get a chance, I win. I affect the quarterback. I do what I do, but it’s about just getting to the opportunities.”
And opportunities? Parsons seizes them like no one else. Now standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the late, great Reggie White—a 13-time Pro Bowler, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Super Bowl champ, and 2006 Hall of Famer—Parsons isn’t just joining elite company; he’s redefining it. The impossible? It’s happened. And the NFL will never be the same.
The Summer’s Most Hyped and Feared – Matchup Is Finally Here
Back in May, the NFL schedule was released. The Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns matchup, which had been pre-determined to take place as soon as both teams finished last in their respective divisions, was set for Week 14.
Weeks prior to this announcement, the Titans had selected Cam Ward with the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Ward’s good friend, Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders, experienced a far worse outcome. After months of being talked about in the same vein as Ward, Sanders fell all the way out of the first round—and then out of Day 2—all the way to the fifth round. He wasn’t even the first rookie QB drafted by his new team, the Cleveland Browns.
That was over 200 days ago. Now, Sanders just did something nobody has done since the Browns moved back to Cleveland in the 90’s, and he’s been made the starting quarterback.
Cam Ward vs. Shedeur Sanders is happening in Week 14
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski made it official on Monday, that Shedeur Sanders would remain the starting QB despite Dillon Gabriel clearing the concussion protocol.
Sanders is coming off the heels of a victory over the Raiders on Sunday, his first career start and win. He became the first Browns QB to win in their debut since 1995, before he was born.
When Sanders was drafted to the Browns and buried on their depth chart behind Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, it was hard to see the path to QB1 snaps for Sanders this season. But the narrative seemed to be written in the stars anyways. Perhaps the narrative alone would will Sanders into the spotlight? I always felt he and Ward were destined to face one another in December.
This move felt inevitable once the QB room was whittled down to just Sanders and Gabriel. Sanders was always the better or the two prospects, and it was bizarre to see the order in which they were drafted. The obvious truth of the matter was that Sanders interviewed notoriously poorly and had a media circus that followed him, and Gabriel was a coach’s dream in the meeting room. Those intangibles matter a ton when you’re dealing with fifth round picks.
I wrote this back in May on the heels of the schedule release, in an article predicting headlines for each Titans game:
Week 14, @ Cleveland Browns: “Ward vs Sanders is the imperfect QB matchup everybody can’t stop talking about”
I really think this is going to happen, and the only reason it doesn’t get made into a primetime matchup is because of the high quality games they’d have to flex out. But make no mistake: Ward vs Sanders will be the talk of the week. Shedeur will have earned the starting role in Cleveland by then, and the 5th round pick will be looking to embarrass the Titans for taking Ward Ist overall and not considering him.
Ignoring the unimportant detail about potential primetime flexing (whoops!), I was spot on. And I won’t pretend this is some original thought I had. I know that many folks felt this would be coming, somehow, someway.
All Sanders has to do is not implode and lose the job in Week 13 against the 49ers in Cleveland. Sanders Francisco is no walk-over, of course, but their defense has been decimated by injury and the Browns defense can hang against any offense. They’re legit.
That’s the worry if you’re a Titans fan looking forward to the inevitable Sanders vs. Ward matchup in two weeks. Ward against the Browns defense is a completely unfair fight compared to Sanders against the Titans defense. That’s two distinct differences in difficulty!
It’s bound to be a fun week of talking points…
