J.J. Watt Laughs at Micah Parsons After T.J. Comment
PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt didn't walk away Defensive Player of the Year, finishing second behind Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett. But the player who finished third in voting, Dallas Cowboys' Micah Parsons, made it known he didn't think Watt was worth the praise.
During an interview after the award was announced, Parsons said he doesn't even believe Watt is a top-five edge rusher in the NFL.
“I think I’m probably the best pure speed pass rusher,” Parsons told CBS Radio. “But if you’re talking about defensive ends, run and everything, but if you’re talking about pure pass rusher, I would say if you look at my win rate, I was the best one this year. So, it would be me. And then I would say Myles, then Maxx, then Nick Bosa, and then I would say — I mean, look at the stats. The stats don’t lie. He was fifth or sixth, but I think Alex Highsmith might have had a better pass rush win rate. And he had a more double team rate than T.J. Watt if you really want to be statistical. Like, this isn’t my stuff. I’m not just pulling it out of my ass."
Watt's brother, J.J., appeared on the Pat McAfee Show and was asked about Parsons's comments. He laughed them off, saying those who saw the comment online had the correct reactions.
"I think the Internet handled that properly,” Watt said. "I think it was handled appropriately. That’s what we’re dealing with, man. That’s what we’re dealing with."
Watt continued, laughing at the "stats" Parsons brought up, while trying to include the actual statbook itself.
"And the stats. But not the stats. And the stats. But definitely not the stats. But look at the stats," he said.
Watt finished with 19 sacks - a league-leading number for the third time in his career - 68 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 36 quarterback hits, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, eight passes defended, an interception and a touchdown.
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