Does Dallas Cowboys' Micah Parsons Compare to Lawrence Taylor? Patriots' Bill Belichick's Stunning Answer
While it's very early in his career, Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons has all the makings of a future Hall of Famer.
The former first-round pick has had a torrid start to his career, recording at least 13 sacks and earning All-Pro recognition in each of his first two seasons. He's off to another amazing sack this season, recording four sacks in three games to become the favorite for Defensive Player of the Year.
As someone on a Hall of Fame trajectory, Parsons has drawn comparisons to some of the best defensive players in league history, even the great Lawrence Taylor. However, those comparisons feel a bit different when coming from New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who coached Taylor himself as the New York Giants' defensive coordinator.
Belichick, LT, Micah
“Like every great player, he’s pretty good at everything,” Belichick said on WEEI's The Greg Hill Show. “He’s got a lot of power. He’s very fast. He’s long. He’s very athletic so he’s a hard guy to cut (block). He’s a hard guy to knock off the ball. And he plays all over. So finding him, that’s No. 1. He could be inside. He could be outside. He could be on either edge. He’s a big, physical player that’s very athletic and quick. Along the lines of a (Lawrence) Taylor. That kind of athlete.”
Previously, Belichick has been extremely reluctant to compare anyone to Taylor. In 2018, he even said outright "I'm not putting anyone in Lawrence Taylor's class." The fact that he has changed his tune for Parsons, even if only slightly, shows just how much respect he has for the Cowboys star.
In his first two seasons in the league, Taylor had 17 sacks and earned two first-team All-Pro nods, although his second season in 1982 was shortened by a lockout. In terms of sack production, Parsons has actually had a better start to his career. Of course, Taylor also went on to earn six more All-Pro nods, win two Super Bowls and establish himself as arguably the greatest defensive player in NFL history, so Parsons still has quite a way to go.
Belichick - who by the way was a defensive coordinator of Taylor's with the Giants, so these are not empty words - will get to see Micah up-close ... as he'll try to show Belichick and the Patriots just how good he really is when Dallas and New England face off on Sunday.
