Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons (1) and Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Warren Brinson (91) celebrate after a play against the Detroit Lions during the first quarter at Ford Field. Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Packers’ Micah Parsons becomes first player to accomplish this feat

Originally posted on WI Sports Heroics | By John Sbisa | Last updated Nov 27, 2025 6:43 PM ET

Led by four passing touchdowns from Jordan Love, the Green Bay Packers rode out of Ford Field with a 31-24 Thanksgiving victory over the Detroit Lions. The Green Bay defense was no less critical to securing the win, holding the Lions down early and coming up with a huge stop late. Fittingly, Micah Parsons authored the final defensive stand, exploding through the middle for a sack on 3rd-and-goal that forced Detroit to kick a field goal on what ended up being its last possession of the game.

That sack also put Parsons alone in the record books as the only player in NFL history to notch 12-plus sacks in each of his first five seasons (the league began tracking sacks in 1982). This, Packers fans can appreciate, is why the team traded for him.

Micah Parsons makes, then surpasses history within the span of four days

It wasn’t just the devastating blow with which Parsons turned the Lions away at the doorstep with 3:26 to go. He took part on all three sacks of Detroit QB Jared Goff on the day, crediting himself with 2.5.

For the season, Parsons now has 12.5 sacks in 12 games. That separates him in the NFL archives from Packers Hall of Famer Reggie White. After sacking Minnesota Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy twice on Sunday, Parsons and White shared the distinction of being the only two players with at least 10 takedowns in their first five years in the league. Following Thursday’s game, Parsons stands alone.

Last season with the Dallas Cowboys, he almost didn’t give himself a chance to be in either conversation. Having missed four games earlier in the year, Parsons needed 2.5 sacks against the Washington Commanders in Week 18 to eclipse both the 10- and 12-sack thresholds.

In one less appearance for the Packers, he has already exceeded his total in 2024. His fourth outing with at least 1.5 sacks this season, Parsons’ dominant performance in Green Bay’s biggest game so far upped his career tally to 65 sacks in 75 games played.

For comparison, despite falling one shy of the 12-sack benchmark in Year 5, White incredibly compiled 81 sacks in 72 contests to start his career from 1985-89 with the Philadelphia Eagles. He then spent six years in Green Bay from 1993-98. The eight-time All-Pro First Teamer and two-time Defensive Player of the Year hung up his spikes with 198 sacks in 15 seasons.

This article first appeared on WI Sports Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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