Belichick: Cowboys' Micah Parsons Isn't Ahead of Lawrence Taylor amid Comparisons

Dallas Cowboys star edge rusher Micah Parsons has drawn some lofty comparisons throughout his impressive career, but New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick isn't ready to put him in the conversation with the greatest linebacker ever.

Ahead of Sunday's matchup between the Patriots and Cowboys, Belichick clarified his statement that Parsons' athleticism was "along the lines" of Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor, saying that no one truly compares to one of the best defensive players of all time.

"I think comparing players like that, it's not really — I would just say, I wouldn't put anybody ahead of Lawrence Taylor, period," Belichick said in his Wednesday press conference, per Pro Football Talk's Myles Simmons.

Parsons is off to an impressive start to the 2023 season, recording 12 tackles, four sacks, five tackles for loss, eight quarterback hits, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery through three games. The 2021 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year has already earned back-to-back first-team All-Pro selections in his first two years, and he looks well on his way to his third.

However, Belichick went on to explain that Taylor was simply on a different level than anybody to lineup on the defensive side of the ball.

"Now, maybe I'm prejudiced, but I mean, I saw that guy every day for over a decade and he tilted the field for a decade," said Belichick, who was a member of the New York Giants coaching staff that unleashed Taylor on the rest of the NFL. "So, until somebody does that — and there's a lot of great players and I'm not taking anything away from anybody else, there's a lot of great players that have been in this league, that are in this league. But personally, I'm not putting anybody ahead of Lawrence Taylor. Not yet."

Belichick noted that Parsons and Taylor also have different playing styles, as the Cowboys move the youngster around the defense to utilize his versatility.

"No, it's a lot different defense than what we played in New York," Belichick said. "Lawrence played outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. These guys don't even have a 3-4 defense. Not saying they should, but that's just totally different. … Parsons is really a defensive end."

Belichick will surely be trying to stifle Parsons and the rest of the Cowboys' pass-rush when the two teams face off on Sunday, as it could be a long day for Patriots quarterback Mac Jones.