Cowboys LB Micah Parsons wins NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year

The Cowboys’ young lion took the world by storm as a rookie, and earned the ultimate honor for his rookie-year performance.

The Dallas Cowboys made a dream come true when they selected Micah Parsons with the No. 12 overall pick in last April’s draft. Then Parsons turned around and made the dreams of every member of that organization and the fanbase come true as well. A lifelong Cowboys fan took immediate ownership of the linebacker group, and basically the defense as a whole from the first moment he stepped on the practice field. The fans got to witness his leadership and gregarious nature through HBO Hard Knock’s training camp documentary.

Still none of that could prepare for what Parsons was able to do once the games mattered. Parsons took the NFL world by storm, using his intelligence, speed and elite athleticism combined with an insane drive to be the best ever into one of the most impressive rookie seasons of all time. And with that, he earned the AP honor of 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year. Unanimously, the first in the award’s history.

Parsons played both linebacker and edge rusher, securing 13 sacks (team rookie record) along with 84 tackles, three pass defenses and three forced fumbles. He also finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting, signaling just how much of an impact he had on a Dallas defense that went from No. 28 in points allowed to No. 7 thanks mostly to his influence.

Parsons of course was named to the Pro Bowl (where he won the NFL fastest’s man race) and was a First-Team All-Pro as well.