Micah Parsons through his first five NFL seasons has 62.5 sacks. Let us compare that to every great Cowboys pass rusher.
DeMarcus Ware: 117 career sacks as a Cowboy over 9 seasons. His first 5 seasons: 52.5 sacks. Parsons is ahead of Ware's pace by 10 full sacks at the same career point. Source: Pro Football Reference.
Harvey Martin: 114 career sacks (unofficial, pre-1982 tracking). Dominated the late 1970s. His peak seasons were comparable but the game was fundamentally different.
Charles Haley: 34.5 sacks in 4 Cowboys seasons. Hall of Famer but limited sample in Dallas.
Too Tall Jones: 106 unofficial career sacks over 15 seasons. More of a run defender than a pure pass rusher.
The argument for Parsons already being number two: Parsons' PFF pass rush grade has been above 90.0 in four of five seasons. Ware had three seasons above 90.0. The consistency of pressure generation — Parsons has a 22.4% pressure rate since entering the league per PFF — is historically elite.
The argument against: Ware did it for longer. Nine seasons of double-digit sacks. Parsons needs longevity to match that resume.
Current ranking:
- DeMarcus Ware
- Micah Parsons (and climbing)
- Harvey Martin
- Charles Haley
- Too Tall Jones
Sources:
- Pro Football Reference — career sack totals
- PFF — pass rush grades and pressure rates
- Dallas Cowboys official records
Ware did it in an era where offensive tackles were better. The 2010s had elite left tackles across the league. Parsons benefits from more scheme creativity getting him free rushes.