Sometimes you ask people questions that you already know the answer to, just because you want to hear them say it. That's exactly what happened to Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin on Tuesday, when he was asked if Green Bay Packers defender Micah Parsons is in the same category as T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett, a player offenses have to game plan around.
Tomlin, like the wise football coach he is, responded by laughing, before saying "most certainly" and pointing to Parsons’ salary to support his thoughts.
Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers are currently in the process of game planning for Parsons, because Green Bay will take on Pittsburgh on Sunday Night Football in Week 8.
Is Micah Parsons in the same category as a T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett player you have to game plan around?
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) October 21, 2025
Tomlin, laughs: "Most certainly. I think his paycheck indicates so."
Mike Tomlin praises Micah Parsons ahead of Packers vs. Steelers
Sunday's primetime game will, of course, be billed as Aaron Rodgers facing off against the Packers, but another prominent storyline will be two of the league's best defenders taking turns on the field. Parsons will be getting after Rodgers, trying to wreck Pittsburgh's offensive plan, and Watt will be doing the same thing for the Steelers, facing off against Jordan Love and Green Bay's offense.
If the offenses have their way, both pass rushers would have quiet games. With both teams already playing Myles Garrett this season, there's an idea of how each offense fares against the league's top edge defenders.
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Pittsburgh got the ball out of Rodgers' hands extremely fast, keeping Garrett from recording a sack, and winning the game 23-9. The Packers, on the other hand, lost to the Browns 13-10, as a beat-up offensive line gave up five sacks.
Green Bay is hoping that's not the case on Sunday, as Love has only been sacked three times in the three games since the loss to Cleveland. The Packers will try to contain Watt, while hoping Parsons is able to spoil whatever plans the Steelers have for him.