Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons. Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Game-changer: Telling stat shows immediate impact Micah Parsons had on Packers

By Steve DelVecchio | Last updated Sep 11, 2025 8:15 PM ET

The Green Bay Packers transformed their defense when they acquired Micah Parsons, and one stat from their first game of the season is an illustration of the type of impact the star pass-rusher will have.

The Packers did not blitz as often as usual in their 27-13 win over the Detroit Lions in Week 1. In fact, they blitzed on fewer than 10% of their defensive plays, which was one of their lowest single-game blitz rates in the last three seasons. Despite barely blitzing, the Packers managed to pressure Lions quarterback Jared Goff on 37.2% of plays, which was right in line with their usual rate.

The Packers blitzed on just 9.3% of Jared Goff's dropbacks in Week 1, Green Bay's fourth-lowest single-game blitz rate since 2023

They still managed a 37.2% pressure rate, in line with their average over the last three seasons

The Micah Parsons effect ✨ pic.twitter.com/QchW65NVFx
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) September 11, 2025

Parsons almost certainly contributed to that. The four-time Pro Bowl defensive end is so explosive that rushing three or four is all that is necessary, and the Packers are now going to reap the benefits of that. Parsons only played on 45% of Green Bay's defensive snaps, but he made the most of them.

Micah Parsons played 45% of the defensive snaps (29 of 65).

Parsons finished with 3 pressures, 2nd most on the Packers (Lucas Van Ness had 4).

Results of Parsons pressures:
•A 2-yard loss on a completion
•An interception
•A sack

Per ESPN research.
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) September 7, 2025

There is a reason the Packers traded two first-round draft picks and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark for Parsons. They also signed Parsons to an extension worth $47 million per year, which makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

Parsons had 12 or more sacks in each of his first four NFL seasons. He is the definition of a game-changer, and the Packers will be able to do a lot of things differently on defense now that they have him in the fold.

Steve DelVecchio

Steve is a veteran writer who has covered a variety of sports and pop culture topics for more than 15 years. In addition to Yardbarker, his work has been featured on prominent digital publications including Larry Brown Sports, MSN and FOX Sports. The UConn graduate has published more than 40,000 stories and is one of the most experienced trending news writers in the country

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