Micah Parsons turns heads winning 'Fastest Man Race' at Pro Bowl event
Former Penn State defensive star Micah Parsons continued his big week Thursday night in Las Vegas.
A Pro Bowl selection in his rookie NFL season, Parsons was also picked to compete in the Fastest Man Race.
A hybrid edge defender competing against cornerback Trevon Diggs, running back Nick Chubb, and Chiefs star wideout Tyreek Hill, Parsons insisted he belonged before the evening’s event. In a Tweet earlier Thursday, he said, “What if I told you I was the fastest man in the NFL? What would you say?!”
Now, Parsons can collect his answers.
Edging out Chubb by a hair in the 40-yard dash, Parsons won the NFL’s Fastest Man Race.
Interviewing with Penn State alumnus and ESPN sideline reporter Lisa Salters after the event, Parsons reacted with his reliably fun-loving sense of humor.
Having beaten Hill, who has been clocked at a 4.29-second 40-yard dash, Micah Parsons acknowledged the race might not have been a completely accurate gauge of speed.
“I know he ain’t coming out there and giving his best,” Parsons said of Hill, who lost in the AFC Championship round to the Bengals. “He just played a couple of days ago. He’s the fastest man in the league. I’m just happy to be somewhere in the middle.
“I do want a Madden 95 speed, though.”
As for his most direct competitor in the event, however, Parsons wanted acknowledgment for the feat. Saying that the former Georgia star tailback and current Cleveland Brown left him no choice but to demonstrate his speed.
“He challenged me and the Lion was hungry. I can’t back down from no challenge,” Parsons said. “Nick wanted it, so he got it.”
At a listed 245 pounds, Parsons outweighed Chubb by 20 pounds.
Micah Parsons’ big week
Parsons’ head-turning performance comes on the heels of a series of other happenings for the former Nittany Lion.
Also named the Butkus Award winner on Tuesday at the professional level, Parsons rounded out a year filled with awards and accolades for his debut season with the Dallas Cowboys.
Among them, Parsons earned back-to-back NFL Rookie of the Month honors in November and December, was a rare first-team NFL All-Pro Defense selection as a rookie, and is now set to participate in his first Pro Bowl Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas.
For the season, Micah Parsons finished with 84 tackles and 13 sacks in 16 games played with the Cowboys.
