Kearse's NFL Record in Jeopardy
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The Tennessee Titans and their fans always will have the memory of what Jevon Kearse did in 1999.
It is possible, though, the “The Freak” won’t have the highest profile accomplishment from that year – the NFL’s rookie sack record – for much longer.
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons has 12 sacks through his first 13 games, which means he needs three in the next four weeks to top Kearse’s 14.5. The Cowboys’ remaining games are against – in order – the N.Y. Giants, Washington, Arizona and Philadelphia. The Giants, Cardinals and Washington are all among the top 17 in the NFL in sacks allowed.
“I don’t really think the NFL is hard,” Parsons told SI.com senior writer Albert Breer this week. “I think they got some really great players around here. But I just think it’s a bunch of players that work really hard.”
The 12th overall pick in this year’s draft is the seventh rookie since Kearse to pile up at least 12 sacks. The closest any of the others came to the record was in 2011, when San Francisco’s Aldon Smith finished with 14. Indianapolis’ Dwight Freeney was next with 13 in 2002.
Parsons has at least one sack in each of the last six games and nine and a half over that span. It is similar to the way Kearse concluded his rookie campaign, at least half a sack in the final 10 contests – another rookie record – and 11.5 over that stretch.
Overall, Parsons has 75 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles. He ranks seventh in the NFL in sacks, just ahead of Harold Landry, who leads the Titans with 11.
Kearse, selected 16th in the draft, finished his rookie season with 85 tackles, an NFL-best 10 forced fumbles and one fumble recovery, which he returned 14 yards for a touchdown. He was named the Defensive Rookie of the Year, a first-team All-Pro and was selected to the first of his three Pro Bowl appearances.
Kearse also delivered a series of memorable moments, such as when he ran down speedsters Qadry Ismail and Napoleon Kaufman from behind. On the former, he reached over teammate Samari Rolle while in full flight to get Ismail to the ground.
His performance and his undeniable passion spurred the Titans to a 13-3 record and helped them make their only Super Bowl appearance.
With Parsons, Dallas is 9-4, in first place in the NFC East and has its sights set on just its second playoff appearance in five years.
“I view myself as one of the most versatile players in the NFL,” Parsons told Breer. “I mean, I’m a guy that can do it all, but I want to do it all. I just want every opportunity I can get. I always say you gotta take advantage of the opportunities, and I just feel like any chance I can get to be on the field is just a great opportunity for me to display my talents. I don’t really believe in wasting opportunities, so I’m a guy that just wants to be out there.
“And everyone takes it too serious, but I used to play football for free so I’m just having fun within the game.”
