With just three total games remaining until the conclusion of the 2021 NFL season, the time has come to start doling out end-of-the-year awards.
On Tuesday, the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) got the ball rolling by naming Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons as the NFL Rookie of the Year.
Parson, who also won PFWA’s NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, was masterful in his first season in the NFL. After Dallas selected him with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2021 draft, the former Penn State pass-rusher quickly made the choice worthwhile for the Cowboys.
Parsons put up gaudy numbers on his way to his first Pro Bowl nod and a First-Team All-Pro nomination. He led all rookies with 13 sacks tied for the NFL lead with 20 tackles for loss in just 16 regular season games played.
Parsons also set a Cowboys rookie record with his 13 sacks, adding his name into the franchise’s storied history at just 22 years old.
Micah Parsons has been voted the 2021 NFL Rookie of the Year and NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year by @PFWAwriters. Parsons is the third Cowboys player selected as the PFWA’s Rookie of the Year (Tony Dorsett in 1977, Ezekiel Elliott in 2016) and the first to receive DPOY. pic.twitter.com/2BpL2o9qMy
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) January 25, 2022
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Parsons is just the third Cowboys player selected as the PFWA’s Rookie of the Year, joining running backs Tony Dorsett and Ezekiel Elliott, who won the award in 1977 and 2016 respectively. He is the first Dallas defender to receive Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who finished third in the league in receiving touchdowns with 13 and fourth in receiving yards with 1,455, won PFWA’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He set an NFL record with the most receiving yards by a rookie in the Super Bowl era.
Here’s a look at the full All-Rookie honors from PFWA:
The PFWA selected Dallas Cowboys LB Micah Parsons as the 2021 Rookie and Defensive Rookie of the Year; Cincinnati WR Ja’Marr Chase selected as the Offensive Rookie of the Year. Full All-Rookie honors: pic.twitter.com/B2Qx44F91L
— Pro Football Writers (@PFWAwriters) January 25, 2022
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The rest of the league’s individual honors for 2021, such as Most Valuable Player and Coach of the Year, will be announced in the coming weeks.
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