Two of the best defensive players in the NFL will meet on Sunday Night Football as the Dallas Cowboys take on the San Francisco 49ers.
Niners edge Nick Bosa and Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons take the field with a knotted-up 19-19-1 all-time record between the teams. Both players are key pieces on their respective defenses and are efficient in getting after the quarterback, but how do they compare?
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Micah Parsons/Nick Bosa Contract Details
Prior to the start of the 2023 season, Bosa signed a five-year, $170 million contract, making him one of the highest-paid players in all of football. He is, in fact, the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history, with an average per-year salary of $34 million.
“I’m super happy for Nick Bosa,” Parsons said after Bosa’s extension. “He really showed why he was the best player in the league last year, and it gives you something to chase. Not in terms of his contract but in terms of how great he was if you study his mindset, how patient he was.”
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In his third year with the Cowboys, Parsons is still playing on his rookie contract. He signed a four-year, $17,079,793 deal with the Cowboys as the No. 11 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and one of the top overall athletes in the draft.
Following this season, Parsons will be eligible for a contract extension that will likely rival Bosa’s monster contract.
Young Pass Rushers Piling Up Stats and Accolades
Bosa was named the AP Defensive Player of the Year last season. Who was right behind him in the voting? Parsons.
Bosa is in his fifth year in the NFL and has consistently been one of the best pass rushers in the league. He has totaled 55 sacks throughout his career and is coming off of a 19-sack season. In 2022, Bosa had 98 pressures, 51 tackles, and 18.5 sacks.
Additionally, Bosa was named Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2019, played in a Super Bowl and two NFC Championship Games, and is a two-time Pro Bowler.
Parsons acclimated to the NFL quickly as he racked up 70 pressures, 84 tackles, and 13 sacks in 2021. In 2022, he totaled 106 pressures, 65 tackles, and 13.5 sacks. This season, he’s seen 27 pressures, 14 tackles, and four sacks through four weeks. Parsons also ranks No. 1 in ESPN’s pass rush win rate rankings.
Parsons was also named Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2022, was voted into the Pro Bowl twice, and named first-team All-Pro.
Parsons has also made a name for himself as one of the NFL’s best pass rushers. While Bosa may be more accomplished and has more NFL experience, it’s hard to compare the talent and say one is “better” than the other. They each have different styles, with Bosa being more technical and quick while Parsons is more athletic.
Just as Parsons was complimentary of Bosa, Bosa recently made positive comments about the Cowboys’ star linebacker.
“He’s very comfortable all over the line,” Bosa said of Parsons. “Obviously, gifted athletically more so than anybody, I’d say — him and maybe Myles Garrett. But just acceleration. Plays he shouldn’t make, he makes. And he plays with good effort.”
Nick Bosa 🤝 Micah Parsons pic.twitter.com/l8ORrnPG1a
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) October 4, 2023