Myles Garrett took home the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year honors on Thursday night for the first time in his career. To some, this meant players like Micah Parsons, T.J. Watt, and Maxx Crosby were snubbed after having stellar seasons.
Meanwhile, others acknowledged how great Garrett was for a Cleveland Browns defense that surpassed all expectations on their way to a Wild Card appearance despite starting five different quarterbacks throughout the year.
A day after the awards show was over, Micah Parsons appeared on The Zach Gelb Show, where the Dallas Cowboys defensive superstar made several eye-catching comments about this year’s DPOY race.
T.J. Watt – Not a top-five pass-rusher today?
Just before Myles Garrett was announced as the 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year winner, T.J. Watt took to X to express how he felt he was slighted for the award.
Nothing I’m not used to.
— TJ Watt (@_TJWatt) February 9, 2024
While Watt took home Defensive Player of the Year honors after recording 22.5 sacks in 2021, he did not win the award after leading the NFL in sacks in 2020 or this past season, when he led the way with 19 sacks.
But what about Parsons? He’s posted a double-digit sack season each of his three years in the NFL, but he’s never won a DPOY award. We know Watt felt slighted, but what about Parsons?
“I’m not a sore loser. I thought it should have went to Myles if not me, and I said that publicly, and it’s as simple as that. Myles, look at the Titans game alone. No offense, but T.J. played the Titans. Did you see two tight ends following T.J. Watt? Like they’re following him all across the line [like they did with Garrett]
“People can say whatever they want, but the film does not lie. His presence is way more dominant than T.J. Watt, and that’s just the reality of it.”
Micah Parsons on 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year race
Watt may have led the NFL in sacks for the third time in his career, but Parsons argues the Pittsburgh Steelers superstar shouldn’t even be considered a top-five pass rusher today.
“If you’re talking about best pure pass rusher, I would say if you look my win rate, I was the best one this year, so it would be me [No. 1]. Then, I would say Myles. Then, I would say Maxx [Crosby]. Then, I would say Nick Bosa.”
“I mean, look at the stats. The stats don’t lie. . . . I think [Watt] might have been fifth or sixth [in pass rush win rate and double team rate]. Alex Highsmith I think had a better pass rush rate and a more double team rate than T.J. Watt if you want to be statistical. This isn’t my stuff. I’m not just pulling this out of my hat. Like, look at the stats.”
Micah Parsons on T.J. Watt
Micah Parsons doesn't believe TJ Watt is a top-5 pure pass rusher in football. @CBSSportsRadio @MicahhParsons11 @_TJWatt 👀 pic.twitter.com/GVBlG1EXGC
— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) February 9, 2024
While Parsons’ comments are sure to lead to harsh feelings from Steelers fans and Watt supporters everywhere, he insists there’s no beef toward Pittsburgh’s defensive leader.
“There’s no beef at all. One thing I hate about the NFL community and NBA community, we just hate when someone else wins. When I lost to T.J., I did not go in and say, ‘I got snubbed.’ I just said, ‘I’m going to go to work.’ When I lost to Nick Bosa the year after that, I did not say, ‘I got snubbed.’ I just said, ‘I’m going to work.’ The biggest mistake in people is saying that someone is not deserving. Who are you to say someone is not deserving of an award of that magnitude?”
Related: 2024 NFL defense rankings: Super Bowl preview, offseason outlook for all 32 NFL teams