Rookie linebacker sensation Micah Parsons has been named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for November, the first time he has been awarded the coveted title this season.
Parsons was also named Player of the Week in Week 8 and Week 10 as he continues to make a case for being named the Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Parsons’ six and a half sacks in November nearly set a franchise record, second only to DeMarcus Ware, who recorded seven sacks back in October 2011.
With nine sacks on the season thus far, Parsons now has the franchise rookie record. With six games to go, Parsons stands to jump up the season-high Cowboys leaderboard. Currently, he sits just one sack behind legendary defensive end Ed “Too Tall” Jones, who recorded ten sacks in 1987.
Ware is the franchise leader for single-season sacks, who recorded 20 in 2008. Ware holds the top three season records for the Cowboys.
To match that record, Parsons would need to record 11 sacks over the course of six games. He recorded two multiple-sack games this season in losses to the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs. He has been held without a sack in four games.
Parsons is the second Cowboys player to receive a Player of the Month award. Cornerback Trevon Diggs was named Player of the Month in October after recording five interceptions in the season’s first four games. His last interception was against the Broncos in Week 10, when he recorded one interception and one pass defense on two targets.
Parsons currently sits at 10th overall in the NFL for sacks this season. League-leader Miles Garret, playing for the Cleveland Browns, has recorded 14 sacks this season and stands a good chance to set the NFL record in 2021.
The Dallas Cowboys selected Parsons as their number one overall pick in the 2021 draft after missing opportunities to take several players the team had expressed an interest in prior to draft day.
Far from being a “settled-for” selection, Parsons has excelled regardless of the role asked of him. At various times this season, Parsons has lined up at linebacker and defensive end.
Parsons has been a big part of the reason the Cowboys are the ninth-ranked run-stopping defense, according to ESPN. The Cowboys win rate sits at 42 percent versus run-plays this season, a massive improvement over 2020’s numbers.
Parsons has 62 tackles on the season, with 47 of those coming on an individual effort. He also has forced two fumbles to go along with his nine quarterback take-downs.
In November alone, Parsons recorded 12 QB hits, eight tackles for loss, and 25 tackles. He is currently in the lead for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, trailed slightly by Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Sustain II, a player the Cowboys had expressed interest in drafting in 2021.
