Pittsburgh Steelers star pass rusher TJ Watt has done nothing but continue to get better every season. An insane feat considering the bar he sets gets higher and higher. Watt, despite his greatness, has often been the subject of disrespect around the league. Many football fans still feel like Watt had the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year award stolen from him.
Mike J. Terrill / AP Photo
Steelers edge rusher TJ Watt stands on stage at the 2021 NFL Honors Ceremony as he accepts the award for Defensive Player of the Year after a phenomenal season.
Dallas Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons, in 2024 at Radio Row, disrespected Watt. No surprise, when speaking with Zach Gelb during the 2025 edition of Radio Row, Parsons was asked about why he doesn’t view Watt as a top-five pass rusher in the league. Parsons’ response didn’t make much sense, but it does give football fans an inside view into his mindset when making these insane claims that disrespect Watt.
A yearly tradition...
— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) February 5, 2025
Micah Parsons explains why he still won't call TJ Watt a top 5 pure pass rusher in the NFL.@MicahhParsons11 @InfSportsNet pic.twitter.com/R0XCyOYKYk
Instead of backing up his take with stats or film, Parsons leaned on vague reasoning that didn’t hold up under scrutiny. Watt has consistently ranked among the NFL’s best in sacks, forced fumbles, and game-altering plays, yet Parsons seems determined to downplay his impact every offseason. His comments were less of an analysis and more of a dismissal, which only added to the frustration of Steelers fans who have seen Watt dominate year after year.
"No, no," Parsons said in regards to Watt being a top 5 pure pass rusher. "Ok, look what you just said. You said a pure pass rusher. If you look at what I do, and what Myles do, we all move around. I played right, left, left tackle, nose, left guard, right guard. Everyone kind of finds their way."
Parsons' claim that Watt isn’t a top-five pass rusher is absolutely insane. It’s an odd hill to die on, yet he seems determined to stand by it.
Andrew Dieb / Icon Sportswire
Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons sets up near the line of scrimmage and prepares to rush the quarterback during a professional football game.
Given his strong presence on social media, many believe he’s simply engagement farming by making such a wrong and disrespectful statement about one of the greatest defensive players of all time.
"If you are talking about pure pass rushers, there are probably a few of us in a league of our own and everyone else is just pretty much high end rushers. They don’t got the versatility to move around."
Parsons has a history of making bold and sometimes questionable statements, but his continued disrespect toward Watt is starting to feel personal. His argument for why Watt isn't a top five pass rusher also doesn't hold up in court.
Whether it’s rivalry, jealousy, or just an attempt to stir controversy, his refusal to acknowledge Watt’s greatness is baffling. Regardless of what Parsons thinks, the numbers, accolades, and film don’t lie—Watt is one of the most dominant pass rushers in the NFL, and no amount of disrespect will change that.
Steelers' TJ Watt Will Be Seeking Revenge In 2025
The thing is, Parsons did acknowledge Watt’s greatness, but he only did so after spending two minutes breaking down why he thinks Watt is overrated. That doesn’t sit well, and it’s frustrating for Steelers fans to watch their superstar constantly face such criticism despite being great year after year.
Arron Anastasia / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' TJ Watt celebrates without knowing his strip-sack was negated by a defensive holding call during the 2024 season.
Watt didn’t finish the 2024 season the way he or fans had hoped. He was relatively quiet down the stretch and battled through some injuries. But knowing Watt’s mindset, he’ll be looking for vengeance in 2025 after the way the 2024 season ended. These comments from Parsons are sure to fuel that fire even more.
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