Micah Parsons’ 2025 season may have ended prematurely, but his impact was undeniable - and now, it’s officially recognized. The Green Bay Packers star has been named the NFC Defensive Player of the Year by The Committee of 101, a prestigious group of NFL-focused sportswriters and broadcasters who’ve been honoring the league’s best since 1969.
This award isn’t just a nod to Parsons’ talent - it’s a testament to how dominant he was in his first year wearing green and gold. After being traded from Dallas to Green Bay last August, Parsons wasted no time making his presence felt. He racked up 12.5 sacks, forced two fumbles, and consistently disrupted opposing offenses across 14 games before a knee injury cut his season short.
That injury - a torn ACL suffered while pressuring Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix on December 14 - ended his campaign earlier than anyone hoped. Parsons was helped off the field after his knee buckled mid-rush, and he underwent surgery a few weeks later. But even with two games missed, his body of work spoke volumes.
What makes Parsons’ season so impressive isn’t just the raw numbers - though 12.5 sacks in 14 games is elite production - it’s the way he changed the tone of Green Bay’s defense. He brought a relentless motor and a veteran presence to a unit that leaned on him in big moments. Whether he was coming off the edge or dropping into coverage, Parsons demanded attention on every snap.
Since entering the league, Parsons has now totaled 65 career sacks, and he’s done it in just five seasons. That puts him in rare company and cements his status as one of the league’s premier pass rushers - and frankly, one of its best overall defenders.
He joins a group of 2025 honorees that includes AFC Offensive Player of the Year Drake Maye, AFC Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, and NFC Offensive Player of the Year Matthew Stafford. On the coaching side, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald - who will square off in this year’s Super Bowl - were named Coaches of the Year for the AFC and NFC, respectively.
But even among that group, Parsons’ story stands out. A new team, a new system, a season-ending injury - and still, he walks away with one of the league’s top honors.
That’s the kind of impact you can’t ignore. Green Bay didn’t just get a star in Parsons - they got a tone-setter, a culture-changer, and a player who, even in a shortened season, proved he’s still one of the most feared defenders in football.