Cleveland Browns edge rusher and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett says facing Micah Parsons will not be about "one-upmanship" when the Dallas Cowboys come to town for Sunday's season opener.
"I'm really focused on us and what we're doing," Garrett said on Friday, according to the team's transcript. "No doubt I'll be watching. He's a hell of a player and if he busts out a move, I might take it during the game and use it myself. But it's not a matter of one-upmanship.
"I'm worried about how we can control the game and dominate the line of scrimmage when we're on the field. But while they're out there, going to be rooting for the offense, but paying attention to what they're doing, see if I can help the tackles or the guards based off what I'm seeing from them, what they're getting from him individually and studying him and his game in first person."
The three-time Pro Bowl and five-time All-Pro gave a similar answer when asked about Parsons' stated intention to challenge his DPOY title defense.
"I'd hope he wants to win," Garrett said. "He's a hell of a competitor. He's a great athlete and a great advocate for this game. So I want that kind of confidence from him striving for greatness. I wouldn't want him to say anything else.
"That makes me know that he's going to give 100 percent and, you know, duke it out, let's see what happens. But it's not me playing against Micah, it's our teams playing each other and at the end of the day, hope he does well, just not Sunday."
Parsons has developed into an anchor of the Cowboys' defense by recording 40.5 sacks over three NFL seasons since he was selected with the No. 12 pick of the 2021 draft.
Since entering the NFL as a linebacker, Parsons has taken most of his snaps as a defensive end over the last two seasons.
After finishing third in 2023 Defensive Player of the Year voting to the Pittsburgh Steelers' T.J. Watt and Garrett, Parsons expressed excitement about watching Garrett play in Week 1.
"I always love competition... Garrett's one of my favorite rushers," Parsons said on Wednesday, per CBS Sports' Garrett Podell. "Him and Maxx Crosby are kind like my two guys that are just so freaky and gifted. But man, it's going to be exciting to play against him."
