Micah Parsons just wrapped up his fifth NFL season, and it’s safe to say the man is building a Hall of Fame résumé in real time. Now with the Green Bay Packers, the former Penn State standout continues to rack up accolades at a pace few defenders in league history can match.
Parsons finished third in AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting this season - marking the fourth time in five years he’s landed in the top three. That’s not just consistency; that’s dominance. While he’s still chasing that elusive Defensive Player of the Year trophy, Parsons’ name is constantly in the conversation, and that says plenty about the kind of impact he’s had since entering the league.
This year’s award went to Myles Garrett, who broke the single-season sack record with 23 and took home the honor in a unanimous vote - 50 first-place votes, 500 points. Houston’s Will Anderson finished second with 177 points, while Parsons earned 63. Rounding out the top five were Denver’s Nik Bonitto (52 points) and Detroit’s Aidan Hutchinson (42).
Parsons, 26, made his debut in Green Bay this season after a blockbuster trade from the Cowboys and a record-setting contract extension. And he made sure the Packers got their money’s worth - even if his season was cut short. In just 14 games, he tallied 41 tackles, 12.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, 27 quarterback hits, and two forced fumbles before tearing his ACL in a December loss to Denver.
That injury ended his season prematurely, but not before he reminded everyone why he’s one of the most feared defenders in football. His explosiveness off the edge, combined with his ability to disrupt plays before they even develop, makes him a nightmare for opposing offenses.
And it’s not just about the sacks - it’s the pressure, the hits, the havoc. Parsons changes the math on every snap.
Since entering the league as the No. 12 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Parsons has been a force. His career totals through five seasons: 297 tackles, 65 sacks, 75 tackles for loss, 139 quarterback hits, and 11 forced fumbles.
He won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2021 and followed it up with back-to-back second-place finishes in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2021 and 2022, then a third-place finish in 2023. That’s four top-three finishes in five years - a level of sustained excellence that’s rare in today’s NFL.
Before he was terrorizing quarterbacks on Sundays, Parsons was doing the same in Happy Valley. A five-star recruit out of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, he played two seasons at Penn State and earned All-America honors in 2019. His legacy at Penn State is still felt - just ask Abdul Carter.
Carter took over Parsons’ iconic No. 11 jersey at Penn State and followed a similar path. After a standout college career, Carter was selected No. 3 overall by the New York Giants in last year’s draft. Like Parsons, he made an immediate impact as a rookie.
Carter finished fifth in AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting, earning 72 points. The award went to Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger, who ran away with it thanks to 40 first-place votes and 441 total points. Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori (199 points), Falcons edge James Pearce Jr. (173), and Falcons safety Xavier Watts (102) rounded out the top four.
Carter’s rookie campaign was a tale of two halves. He played in all 17 games, starting six, and totaled 43 tackles, four sacks, seven tackles for loss, 23 quarterback hits, and two forced fumbles.
But it was his late-season surge that turned heads. Over the final six games - five of which he started - Carter logged 20 tackles, 3.5 sacks, six tackles for loss, 14 quarterback hits, and both of his forced fumbles.
That kind of finish bodes well for Year 2.
Carter’s rise mirrors Parsons’ in more ways than one. Both were highly touted recruits, both starred at Penn State, and both have made early statements in the NFL.
Carter, a four-star recruit in the Class of 2022, transitioned from linebacker to defensive end in college and became a unanimous All-American in 2024. Now, he’s anchoring a young Giants defense with sky-high potential.
As the NFL season heads toward its grand finale - Super Bowl LX between the Seahawks and Patriots - Penn State will be represented on the sport’s biggest stage. Seattle’s long snapper Chris Stoll and New England offensive lineman Caedan Wallace will both suit up, continuing the Nittany Lions’ strong pipeline to the pros.
But no matter who lifts the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday, one thing’s clear: Micah Parsons remains one of the most dominant defensive forces in the game - and Abdul Carter might just be next in line.