The race for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award between Micah Parsons, Myles Garrett, and T.J. Watt escalated this week after Garrett emerged as the winner. However, Watt took to social media with a cryptic tweet hinting that he deserved the award. Despite leading the league with 19.0 sacks, Watt received four fewer first-place votes than Garrett. Parsons, who finished in third place, publicly defended Garrett and argued that the statistics alone did not accurately represent Garrett’s dominance on the field. Parsons emphasized the importance of considering advanced metrics such as double-team rate and pass-rush win rate. In fact, Parsons went as far as excluding Watt from his list of top-four NFL pass rushers, instead favoring himself, Garrett, Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders, and Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers. Parsons pointed to the statistics, claiming that Watt ranked fifth or sixth in pass-rush win rate. This viewpoint has sparked controversy, given Watt’s exceptional performance in 2023 and his consistent success throughout his career. Watt’s impact on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense was evident, and his contributions helped the team secure a spot in the playoffs. Unfortunately, Watt sustained a knee injury in the final regular season game and was unable to participate in the Steelers’ Wild Card loss to the Buffalo Bills. Looking ahead, the Steelers will face the Dallas Cowboys, led by Parsons, in a home game next season. It will be intriguing to see if the two players have a chance to discuss Parsons’ comments during the offseason. Parsons clarified that there is no animosity between them, but Watt has yet to respond to the criticisms raised by Parsons.
According to the Source thecoldwire.com