Micah Parsons Is the Packers' Closer - And He’s Slamming the Door on Opponents
In Green Bay, Jeff Hafley’s job title might read “defensive coordinator,” but lately, he’s doubling as something of a baseball coach - at least when it comes to metaphors. His star pupil?
Micah Parsons. And the lesson?
How to finish like Mariano Rivera.
Parsons, the Packers’ relentless defensive end, didn’t grow up watching baseball. But Hafley, a New Jersey native who grew up less than an hour from Yankee Stadium, knows Rivera’s legacy well - the greatest closer in baseball history, a man who made the ninth inning a formality. That’s the comparison Hafley draws when he talks about Parsons.
“When it’s the fourth quarter and we need a stop… Micah Parsons is our closer,” Hafley said earlier this season. “He’s going to get the three outs.”
And get them he does. Parsons has been a nightmare for offenses all season, but his dominance in crunch time is what’s setting him apart.
He ranks third in the league with 12.5 sacks, but it’s the when that’s turning heads - seven of those have come in the fourth quarter, the most in the NFL. He’s also second in total fourth-quarter pressures (25) and ranks top five in pressure rate during that final frame.
In other words, when the game’s on the line, Parsons doesn’t fade - he feasts.
Thanksgiving Statement
Take Thanksgiving, for example. The Packers were clinging to a 10-point lead over the Lions late in the fourth.
Detroit had third-and-goal from the 4-yard line. Parsons lined up wide, took a shot from tight end Anthony Firkser, and still found a way to bend around the collapsing pocket and sack Jared Goff.
The Lions settled for a field goal, and the Packers held on for a 31-24 win.
Even Tom Brady, calling the game from the booth, couldn’t help but admire Parsons’ explosiveness. That kind of burst - that kind of impact - in the final minutes? That’s what separates stars from superstars.
“He’s a problem out there,” said quarterback Jordan Love. “It’s definitely fun to watch him and just the way he’s able to go out there and dominate is awesome.”
Clutch Gene Activated
This isn’t a one-game trend. Back in Week 7, with the Cardinals threatening from Green Bay’s 26-yard line and only 30 seconds left, Parsons blew up Jacoby Brissett for a 9-yard sack, forcing Arizona to burn a timeout and killing any momentum.
In Week 11, he stripped Jameis Winston on the final play to seal a win over the Giants. These aren’t just sacks - they’re game-clinchers.
Parsons calls it “the hunt.” It’s not about one play or ten. It’s about the pursuit - the understanding that even if he’s blocked nine times, the tenth might be the difference between a win and a loss.
“It don’t stop until the hunt’s finished,” Parsons said. “I might get blocked a lot of times.
I might get stuffed. That guy’s gonna beat me, but can he beat me every time?
I like those odds.”
Enter Sandman? Or Lion King?
Hafley’s Rivera comparison doesn’t stop at film study. He’s even pitched the idea of playing Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” - Rivera’s iconic entrance song - when Parsons takes the field late in games.
Parsons, unfamiliar with the Yankee legend, immediately got the vibe. “Put people to sleep,” Hafley told him.
Parsons was all in.
But he’s also got another idea: a track from The Lion King. It fits with his “hunt” mantra, his alma mater (Penn State Nittany Lions), and his nonprofit, The Lion Heart Foundation. Whether it’s Metallica or Mufasa, the message is the same - when Parsons steps on the field late, it’s lights out.
A Force From Start to Finish
Parsons might be known for his fourth-quarter heroics, but his impact stretches across all four quarters - and all phases of the game. He’s been disruptive against both the pass and the run, and despite what some may say (yes, even Jerry Jones), his complete skill set is hard to overlook.
His Defensive Player of the Year campaign is very real, even if Myles Garrett is the current front-runner thanks to a record-breaking sack pace. Parsons is still on track for his fourth All-Pro nod in five seasons, and he’s doing it with a motor that just won’t quit.
“He’s got so much energy,” Hafley said. “Whether he’s in the meeting room, whether he’s on the practice field, game day - he’s a guy that bounces around and kind of lights up the room and just never seems to be stopped.”
Next Man Up - And Then Some
The Packers will need every bit of that energy moving forward, especially after losing defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt to a significant ankle injury on Thanksgiving. With the division race heating up and the Bears coming to town this Sunday in a game that could decide first place, Green Bay needs Parsons to keep doing what he’s done all season: close.
From the edge. From the interior.
With a hand in the dirt or standing up. It doesn’t matter.
Parsons has shown he can dominate from anywhere, at any time. And if he keeps hunting like this, the Packers might just find themselves back on top of the NFC North for the first time since 2021.
Because when the game’s on the line, and the lights get brightest, there’s no better closer in football right now than Micah Parsons.