(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The NFL Defensive Player of the Year race between Micah Parsons, Myles Garrett, and T.J. Watt got heated this week after Garrett won the award but Watt posted a cryptic tweet insinuating he should have won.
Watt led the NFL with 19.0 sacks but finished with four fewer first-place votes than Garrett.
Parsons, who finished third, defended Garrett publicly and explained that the statistical production didn’t paint the full picture of how dominant Garrett was on the field, especially when you consider advanced stats like double-team rate and pass-rush win rate.
Parsons went even further and didn’t put Watt in the top-four of NFL pass rushers, opting instead for himself, Garrett, Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby, and San Francisco 49ers star Nick Bosa.
“I mean, look at the stats,” Parsons said, per Zach Gelb. “The stats don’t lie. [Watt] was not – I think he might have been fifth or sixth [in pass-rush win rate].”
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
This is a controversial take for many considering how dominant Watt was in 2023 and has been throughout his career.
When he was on the field, the Steelers defense looked completely different and his play helped Pittsburgh make the playoffs.
Watt suffered a knee injury in the final game of the regular season, though, and missed the Steelers’ Wild Card loss to the Buffalo Bills.
The Steelers will play Parsons and the Dallas Cowboys at home next season, so it’ll be interesting to see if the two meet and discuss what Parsons has said all offseason.
Parsons said the two don’t have beef, but Watt has yet to respond to the criticisms of his game from Parsons.
The post Micah Parsons Makes Controversial Statement About T.J. Watt appeared first on The Cold Wire.