Inside the NFC North: Grady Jarrett's Leadership, Micah Parsons' Grit, and the Vikings' DC Dilemma
Bears: Jarrett’s Experience Fuels Chicago’s Resilience
Grady Jarrett knows what it feels like to be on the wrong side of a historic comeback-and he’s using that painful memory to help fuel the Bears’ postseason push.
Back in Super Bowl LI, Jarrett was part of the Falcons team that infamously let a 28-3 lead slip away to the Patriots. On the other side of that game?
Joe Thuney, now Jarrett’s teammate in Chicago. That shared history became a powerful teaching tool in the Bears’ locker room during this year’s NFC Wild Card Round comeback win over the Packers.
“Having Joe on the team helped us talk about, when you are down like that, how do you come back? What’s the mindset of the team?”
Jarrett said. “From my perspective, it’s (sharing that) you have to finish people while they’re down.”
It’s the kind of insight that only comes from living through both the highs and the heartbreaks of playoff football. And Jarrett’s leadership has clearly resonated with his teammates.
After a brutal 52-21 loss to the Lions back in September, Jarrett didn’t shy away from the moment. Instead, he stepped up with a message that would help set the tone for the rest of the season.
“My message that night was, ‘We’re all we’ve got. And we’re all we need,’” Jarrett said.
“It was really just turning up the heat on the idea that no one is going to feel sorry for us. No one is coming to save us.
We have to make the decision about how our season will go. It felt like a critical time to speak up.”
That speech stuck with younger players like defensive lineman Gervon Dexter, who echoed Jarrett’s call for accountability.
“His message was that we had to be tired of all this. Tired of the excuses.
Tired of getting beat down. Tired of all the other stuff.
Just lock back in and become the team we want to be. It was perfect timing,” Dexter said.
In a season that’s tested the Bears’ resolve, Jarrett’s voice has become a rallying cry-and his Super Bowl scars have turned into fuel for something bigger.
Packers: Micah Parsons Battles Back from ACL Injury
Micah Parsons is used to dominating on the field. But now, the Packers linebacker is facing a different kind of battle-one that doesn’t involve game plans or pass rushes, but patience, pain, and perseverance.
Parsons is rehabbing from ACL surgery, and he’s not sugarcoating the process.
“It’s hard because I’m not a very vulnerable person and during this period, I’ve probably been the most vulnerable I’ve been in the last like, probably my whole life,” Parsons said. “You can’t go through this injury by yourself.
Like, you have to have - I can’t even put my own drawers on, man. Like, I can’t shower by myself.
I can’t even get off the bed myself, so I couldn’t imagine being alone.”
That raw honesty paints a picture of just how grueling this recovery has been-not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.
“When you talk about pain, can’t sleep, can’t move around, you can’t turn over without your leg going into damn near, ‘Oh, s-!’ like you’re jumping out of your sleep,” Parsons added.
“I can’t remember the last time I slept through the night. My body’s tired.
My mind’s tired. I’m exhausted, man.
But it’s going to be worth it once I’m able to move and play again.”
Before the injury, defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley had high expectations for Parsons-predicting he could challenge the single-season sack record with 24. That chase is on hold, but the fire clearly isn’t out.
“He’s putting a lot of pressure on me,” Parsons said of Hafley’s prediction. “They know I’m coming.
I had a little fun with Myles (Garrett). He talked about (how) he’s going to put the trophy, the Defensive Player of the Year trophy, in the training room so we can look at it.
I said, ‘You know what, don’t worry. The light’s bright, but the sun always sets, too, so we’re coming.’”
Parsons also made it clear he’s not worried about Hafley leaving town amid reports of other teams showing interest.
“Nah,” Parsons said with a smile. “Haf ain’t going nowhere.”
That kind of bond between player and coach isn’t just rare-it’s a big reason why the Packers believe Parsons will come back stronger, hungrier, and more dangerous than ever.
Vikings: Flores' Future Still in Flux
The Vikings are doing everything they can to keep defensive coordinator Brian Flores in the building-but as of now, no deal has been finalized.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell acknowledged that while the team has been aggressive in trying to lock up Flores, they also want to give him space to explore his market value.
“You don’t see a lot of players signing free agency before free agency starts sometimes, because they want to know what their market is and they want to be able to totally clarify that,” O’Connell said. “We were very much being aggressive to try to get something done with him, but at the same time want to be respectful and make sure he can go through whatever process.”
It’s a tricky balance-showing Flores how much he’s valued, while also giving him the freedom to weigh his options. Still, O’Connell sounded optimistic that a deal will eventually get done.
“Based upon my conversations, I have a lot of confidence we’re going to be able to get something done with him as our defensive coordinator,” he said.
Flores made a strong impact in his first season with Minnesota, helping to revamp a defense that had struggled in recent years. Losing him would be a major blow-but for now, the Vikings are betting on continuity and trust to win out.
Final Word
Across the NFC North, leadership is taking center stage-whether it’s a veteran like Grady Jarrett guiding a young Bears team through adversity, a star like Micah Parsons pushing through the darkest stretch of his career, or a franchise like the Vikings working to retain the architect of their defensive turnaround.
These aren’t just headlines-they’re the defining moments that shape locker rooms, seasons, and legacies.