Dallas Cowboys rookie Micah Parsons may very well be the favorite to win this year’s NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, and he did nothing on Thanksgiving to lose any ground in the conversation. Parsons put on a defensive show against the Las Vegas Raiders and set the new franchise mark for the Cowboys with the most sacks in a season by a rookie.
In overtime of a Thanksgiving classic between the Cowboys and Raiders (which was eventually won by the visiting Raiders on a game-winning field goal), Parsons had CBS analysts Tony Romo in awe over his vision and ability to make a big tackle. Immediately after the instant replay breakdown of a solid defensive effort, Parsons plowed his way through the Raiders offensive line to help bring down Raiders quarterback David Carr. The sack was the ninth of the year for Parsons, etching his name in the record book for the storied NFL franchise.
Micah Parsons just set the Cowboys rookie record for sacks. It’s November 25.
— Kevin McGuire (@KevinOnCFB) November 26, 2021
MICAH PARSONS 😤😤😤
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) November 26, 2021
Micah Parsons to the Raiders right now pic.twitter.com/ONohMw3mcA
— BetMGM 🦁 (@BetMGM) November 26, 2021
Even in slow motion Micah Parsons is fast pic.twitter.com/jghQmcSdjJ
— Joey Hayden (@_joeyhayden) November 25, 2021
.@MicahhParsons11 goes #speedtopower & bull rushes the blocker to the QB for the sack! #passrush #cowboys pic.twitter.com/qpeS7BeIaN
— DLineVids (@dlinevids1) November 26, 2021
It was just a week ago, against the Kansas City Chiefs, that Parsons recorded his eighth sack of the season. At that point, that was the most by a Cowboys rookie since Demarcus Ware in 2005.
Family 🤞🏽💪🏽💙 https://t.co/DNfcANa4nN
— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) November 22, 2021
With the Cowboys rookie record now belong to him, Parsons can now continue to make his push for the NFL rookie record for most sacks in a season. As of now, Parsons is 5.5 sacks away from tying the NFL rookie record currently owned by Jevon Kearse (14.5). With six games remaining this season, it is a record that is attainable but may be difficult to grasp even with the benefit of a 17-game regular season this year in the NFL.
But even if Parsons doesn’t get his hands on the NFL record, he should be laying his hands on the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, and perhaps more, at the end of the season.
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