We all know what Bill Belichick thinks of New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor. In 2019, Belichick called the Hall of Fame linebacker, who he coached in the 1980s, the best defensive player in NFL history.
The New England Patriots head coach typically scoffs at anyone who tries to compare a current player to Taylor, but it was actually Belichick who made a comparison Monday morning.
Belichick was asked about dominant Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons during his weekly appearance on WEEI's "The Greg Hill Show", and he was pretty effusive in his praise. He even brought up Taylor on his own.
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“Like every great player, he’s pretty good at everything,” Belichick said of Parsons. “He’s got a lot of power. He’s very fast. He’s long. He’s very athletic so he’s a hard guy to cut (block). He’s a hard guy to knock off the ball. And he plays all over. So finding him, that’s No. 1. He could be inside. He could be outside. He could be on either edge. He’s a big, physical player that’s very athletic and quick. Along the lines of a (Lawrence) Taylor. That kind of athlete.”
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Belichick praises the opponent every week, even if the opponent is not very good. He's never going to give the opposition any source of motivation or bulletin board material.
But this praise is different.
Belichick rarely puts anyone in the same sentence as Taylor. So for him to do it voluntarily with Parsons shows you how much respect he really has for the Cowboys star.
And it's probably warranted, too. Parsons is the betting favorite for Defensive Player of the Year entering Week 4. He has played phenomenally through three games with 12 tackles, one fumble recovery, one forced fumble, four sacks and one pass defensed.
Parsons consistently pressures the quarterback and stuffs the run. His speed, power and athleticism are just unreal.
The Patriots offensive line, which showed improvement in Sunday's win over the New York Jets but has largely struggled over three games, will have its hands full with Parsons in Dallas in Week 4.