Patriots HC Bill Belichick shuts the door on Micah Parsons claiming he wouldn’t put ‘anybody’ ahead of Lawrence Taylor as the best defensive player ever
Belichick will only put someone over over Lawrence Taylor under one condition.
Ask any football fan who is one of the most dominant linebackers in the NFL right now. They will point to Micah Parsons. However, that’s not enough for Bill Belichick to put the Dallas Cowboys rusher ahead of retired legend Lawrence Taylor.
Parsons’ stats establish his credentials as one of the best in his position. The former first-round pick already has 4.0 sacks, five tackles for loss, eight quarterback hits, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in the first three games of the 2023 season.
Belichick will be taking his New England Patriots team to AT&T on Sunday and is aware of the threat that Micah Parsons poses. Earlier this week, the veteran head coach appeared on the Greg Hill Show and admired Parsons’ physicality as “along the lines of Lawrence Taylor.”
Bill Belichick on @WEEI about Micah Parsons. “He’s a big, physical player that’s very athletic and quick. I’ll put it along the lines of Taylor. That kind of athlete.”
Haven’t heard many comparisons to Lawrence Taylor through the years, assuming he wasn’t talking about Swift.
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) September 25, 2023
The media asked the Patriots shotcaller whether he was serious about the comparison. Considering his well-known admiration for the New York Giants Hall of Famer, it did come as a surprise to most.“No, it’s a lot different defense than what we played in New York,” Belichick said on Wednesday about his time with the Giants when Taylor played for them. “Lawrence played outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. These guys (Dallas Cowboys) don’t play that.”
But Belichick has a clear favorite when it comes to comparing the two players. “I wouldn’t put anybody ahead of Taylor, period,” he continued. “Now, maybe I’m prejudiced. But I saw that guy for a decade, tilting the field.”
#Patriots coach Bill Belichick was asked about comparing #Cowboys Micah Parsons and #Giants Lawrence Taylor and said he wouldn't put anyone ahead of Taylor.
"I think comparing players like that, it’s not really — I would just say, I wouldn’t put anybody ahead of Lawrence Taylor"… https://t.co/aiKb1pSkcf pic.twitter.com/9YXCBa1m4A
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 27, 2023
The 71-year-old claimed that until any other player manages to replicate the two-time Super Bowl winner’s feat, he will not change his evaluation. “I’m not putting anybody ahead of Lawrence Taylor. Not yet,” he said.
Lawrence Taylor and Micah Parsons’ comparison
In just two seasons, Micah Parsons has managed to establish himself as one of the key components of the Cowboys’ defense. With 33 games under his belt, the 24-year-old has recorded 149 tackles, 26.5 sacks, and six forced fumbles. The NFL Players Committee named Parsons the Defensive Rookie of the Year for his outstanding performance in 2021. Not only that, he also has two Pro Bowl honors in his locker room as well.
Parsons is playing his third season at Dallas (Image via CBS)
Lawrence Taylor was a great player in the truest sense. His DOPY is the benchmark that every defensive player must match to be labeled as the best of all time. The 1981 second-overall pick played 13 seasons in the NFL and recorded 132.5 sacks, nine interceptions, and 56 forced fumbles.
Different eras especially at that position, but Lawrence Taylor was terrorizing offenses pic.twitter.com/1HINGP8Lps
— Sloth (@SlothUniversity) September 27, 2023
In all honesty, Parsons has every tool in his shed to surpass Taylor. But he must consistently perform at his highest level to get close to the legendary defender. A Super Bowl would also come in handy for the defensive stud to edge closer to Taylor.
