The conversation around who is the best pass-rusher in the NFL has no universal answer, but there’s no question that Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders and Micah Parsons of the Green Bay Packers are in the mix.
Both players are on the field in primetime this week. Crosby and the Raiders’ defense are on the road against the Denver Broncos for Thursday Night Football, while Parsons and the Packers host the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football.
NFL Personality Takes a Jab at Micah Parsons
Skip Bayless tuned in Thursday night to watch the Broncos host the Raiders. Bayless, who has made no secret of how much of a fan he is of the Cowboys, decided to take a shot at Parsons, the former Cowboy.
“I have never seen Micah Parsons make a play against the run the way Maxx Crosby just did,” Bayless wrote in a post on X.
I have never seen Micah Parsons make a play against the run the way Maxx Crosby just did.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) November 7, 2025
Bayless was referring to a tackle Crosby made in run support on the Raiders’ first defensive possession of the game. On third-and-2, Crosby set the edge to stop Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins and hold him to a one-yard gain, forcing a punt.
Parsons’ departure from the Cowboys may still leave a bitter taste in the mouths of many fans. A former No. 12 overall pick who played four seasons in Dallas, Parsons was traded to the Packers in August for two first-round picks and nose tackle Kenny Clark. Upon arriving in Green Bay, the Packers and Parsons’ representation officially signed a four-year contract extension worth $188 million, with $136 million guaranteed.
Through eight games this season, Parsons has tallied 6.5 sacks, 20 tackles, and 14 quarterback hits for the Packers.
Crosby didn’t come out of college as highly touted as Parsons. A fourth-round pick of the then-Oakland Raiders, Crosby has blossomed into one of the premier players at his position. In what is now his seventh season with the Raiders, he has five sacks through eight games, along with 32 tackles and 10 quarterback hits.
Crosby’s name was mentioned sporadically leading up to the trade deadline this past week; however, the Raiders stood firm in their commitment to keeping the 28-year-old around for the foreseeable future. He already signed a three-year contract extension worth $106.5 million in March, intertwining his future with the Raiders.