The Pittsburgh Steelers have constantly been in a tiring debate with the Cleveland Browns over which of their edge rushers is better. However, Myles Garrett has been almost invisible on the field ever since Week 2, so now there's a new competitor looking to belittle TJ Watt and his accomplishments. Now, it's the very-outspoken Micah Parsons that wants to try to show the world that Pittsburgh's superstar is overrated. His Green Bay Packers will battle Pittsburgh on Sunday Night Football, where everyone can see who is truly better.
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Green Bay Packers star pass rusher Micah Parsons stands with his hands on his hips during pregame.
Parsons had previously spoken about how teams don't gameplan as much for Watt as they do for him and Garrett. The Steelers' superstar was asked about those comments, and he gave the most TJ Watt answer that you could think of, as reported by Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
"No, no issues," Watt said. "Everybody’s entitled to their own opinion. I really couldn’t care less."
Watt would respond in very similar ways when everyone was talking about him versus Garrett, and it's the same here with Parsons. Even if they do possibly upset him, he refuses to let the media even get a hint about that. At the end of the day, his focus is all about doing his part to make sure the Steelers get a key win at home against a very formidable opponent.
Meanwhile, Parsons has always been very open with how he truly feels about popular NFL topics, especially when he is hosting his own podcast. In this case, he seems to be giving bulletin board material to Watt's teammates, who seem to care a lot more about sticking up for him in this debate than he does. We will see how fueled up either side is in this upcoming matchup.
Mike Roemer / AP Photo
Packers' Micah Parsons.
Both Watt and Parsons have seen what teams have done without them. In # No. 90's case, the Steelers seem to be unable to function properly when he is out with injury. With the new Packer, he is watching his old team struggle on defense. The Dallas Cowboys already had a flawed defense, and trading him away only made things worse on that side of the ball, as it feels like they have to score 30+ to have a chance of winning.
Despite being a 4-3 defensive end like Garrett, Parsons has shown some versatility similar to Watt in his 3-4 scheme. They are both more than just a one-trick pony, which helps put them both above the Browns' fading star in 2025. Their abilities to shut down the run, along with wreaking havoc in the pass game make this a much more legitimate debate this season.
Steelers Have Proven Scheme To Shut Down Parsons
Even if Parsons is somehow right, the Steelers have figured out how to slow down any stud edge rusher: by adding about 600 pounds of man to his side. The jumbo package with utility lineman Spencer Anderson and tight end Darnell Washington has taken the league by storm since it became a key part of the offense in Week 4, and teams have yet to find a way to stop it.
Tyler Miller / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Kenneth Gainwell runs behind Darnell Washington during a Week 4 game in the 2025 season in Dublin, Ireland.
Maybe Parsons is right and he is truly the better edge rusher. However, odds are he won't have that kind of impact against the Steelers. It's hard for any player to make any sort of impact when there are three huge bodies to get by before getting to the quarterback or running back. It worked for the Steelers against Garrett, and it resulted in some Browns fans turning on him. Maybe the same will happen with Green Bay in this contest and the supposed top defensive player will get humbled.
What do you think about Watt's response to Parsons' criticisms? Who do you think will have the better game in Week 8? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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