Micah Parsons Named December’s NFL Defensive Rookie Of The Month
Former Penn State linebacker and blossoming Dallas Cowboys superstar Micah Parsons has been named the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Month for December, the league announced Thursday morning.
Parsons also secured the same honor this past November. The Pro Bowl-bound linebacker was also recognized with the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Week award, after a stellar performance in October.
In December, the Penn State product compiled 12 tackles (three for a loss), four sacks, a forced fumble, and a pass deflection. On the season, Parsons has already racked up 79 tackles (18 for a loss), 13 sacks, three forced fumbles, and 60 quarterback pressures.
In November, Parsons already surpassed the Cowboys’ previous rookie sack record and now has his sights set on the NFL record. Currently, defensive end Jevon Kearse holds the league record with 14.5 sacks as a rookie. Tied with legendary defensive linemen Reggie White and Dwight Freeney, Parsons would only need two sacks across the remaining two games of the season to set a new record.
What makes Parsons’ proximity to NFL history even more remarkable is his unorthodox path to reaching this level of success. Unlike some other names on the rookie sack leaderboard, Parsons has not spent the majority of his time in a defensive lineman role.
This season, the self-proclaimed lion (not an alligator) has played 454 snaps at linebacker, 347 at defensive line, 25 at cornerback, and even one at safety. Parsons’ unprecedented chameleon-like style of defensive play has repositioned him as the betting favorite for the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Seemingly a foregone conclusion to be named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, if he were to earn both honors, he would be the first player since Hall-of-Famer Lawrence Taylor to do so. Last week, Parsons added to his season’s achievements when he was named to his first career Pro Bowl along with three other rookies.
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