Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers avoided having to block Micah Parsons when they hosted the Dallas Cowboys last season. Parsons missed the game because of an ankle injury.
But Parsons will be on the field at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday night when his new team, the Green Bay Packers, visit the Steelers.
This week, Tomlin received a question about whether Parsons was in the same tier of edge rushers as T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett. Tomlin had a simple response to answer yes.
“Most certainly,” Tomlin said Tuesday while smiling. “I think his paycheck indicates so.”
After acquiring Parsons late this offseason, the Packers signed the edge rusher to a four-year, $186 million deal. Parsons’ new contract pays him an average annual salary of $46.5 million.
Micah Parsons Earning More Per Year Than T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett
With the Packers signing their new edge rusher to a mammoth extension, Parsons, Watt and Garrett all received new deals before the 2025 season.
Garrett renewed his deal first, agreeing to a four-year, $160 million extension. The Cleveland Browns defensive end became the first defensive player with an average annual salary of at least $40 million.
Watt surpassed that with the total amount of new money included in his contract. The Steelers inked their All-Pro edge rusher to a three-year, $123 million extension. That will give Watt an average annual salary of $41 million.
But Parsons’ deal blew both out of the water with his $46.5 million average annual salary.
Parsons is making a significant impact for the Packers defense this season. In his first six games with Green Bay, he has posted 5.5 sacks with five tackles for loss and 13 quarterback hits.
Steelers Game Plan Against Parsons, Packers Defense
Just two weeks ago, the Steelers had a successful game plan against Garrett and the Browns. The Cleveland All-Pro edge rusher made very little impact on the game, posting just one tackle.
Tomlin suggested the Steelers will be able to use a little of what they did against Garrett on Parsons in Week 8.
But Tomlin also made it clear blocking Parsons will be different than Garrett as well.
“They’re two different people in terms of what makes them great in how they get to the quarterback,” Tomlin told reporters. “How they’re deployed, the distribution of rushes, number of rushes. Both groups play behind their four-man rush, both guys are edge players, capable of moving around either side.
“The same could be said against any of the elite rushers, Maxx Crosby in Vegas. They play behind their four-man rush. He moves around. That’s what you do when you have elite players like those guys.”
Parsons reached double-digit sacks in each of his first four NFL seasons. He’s already more than half way to doing that again this year.
Last fall, Parsons had 12 sacks despite only playing 13 games.
In 2021 and 2022, Parsons made first-team All-Pro. He also won Defensive Rookie of the Year during 2021.
He made second-team All-Pro in 2023.
The Steelers will have to give him the Garrett treatment if they are going to keep Aaron Rodgers up front in Week 8. The Packers will visit Pittsburgh on Sunday Night Football.
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