Led by four passing touchdowns from Jordan Love, the Packers strode out of Ford Field with a 31-24 Thanksgiving victory. 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 third and goal that forced Detroit to kick a field goal on what ended up being their 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 went out and got him.
Parsons makes, then surpasses history within 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, credited himself with 2.5.
Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons (1) sacks Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) during their football game Sunday, November 23, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
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 JJ 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 Dallas, 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 Washington 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 (75 games played).
Sep 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons (1) looks on in the second half against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
For comparison, despite falling one shy of the 12-sack benchmark in year five, White incredibly compiled 81 sacks in 72 contests to start his career from 1985-89 with Philadelphia. He then spent six years in Green Bay from ’93-98. 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 (232 G).
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