Stroud called out Parsons for naming NFC East the toughest even though none of the teams from that division made it past the first round of the playoffs.

(L) CJ Stroud and (R) Micah Parsons (Image via IMAGO)

Micah Parsons was in denial after CJ Stroud claimed that AFC North was the biggest division in the NFL. The All-Pro Pass Rusher argued that the NFC East, in which the Dallas Cowboys play, is comparatively harder.

Before the start of the season, analysts would try to figure out which division or conference would be tougher. Several factors are taken into account, including the strength of the teams, transfers, and the draft. It’s an ever-changing scenario.

Stroud and Parsons found themselves arguing on the same subject during the first day of Bleacher Report’s 2024 NFL Draft Live Show. The Houston Texans quarterback pointed out that the AFC North is head and shoulders above the rest of the NFL in terms of quality.

Parsons, however, wasn’t impressed with the hypothesis. To him, the Dallas Cowboys had to play the likes of the New York Giants, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Washington Commanders (all of whom have won Super Bowl in the past).

On paper, we were the best division in football last year.

Micah Parsons said

Stroud didn’t conquer.

No one on the planet except for Micah Parsons thought the NFC East was better than the AFC North. No one on the planet. You are delusional.

CJ Stroud ranted

The AFC North is composed of the Baltimore Ravens led by Lamar Jackson, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cincinnati Bengals led by Joe Burrow, and the Cleveland Browns led by Deshaun Watson.

Stroud earns the point over Parsons; AFC North is the best division in the NFL

Parsons kept pestering that going into 2023 Washington was a good side. To put things into perspective, the Commanders had a second-year quarterback, an aging backline, and a head coach who was on borrowed time after the arrival of the new owners.

(L) Patrick Mahomes and (R) Lamar Jackson (Image via IMAGO)
The Giants, on the other hand, were uninspiring, even though they had been to the playoffs a year earlier, which got Daniel Jones a massive paycheck. Both sides combined won 10 games.

In comparison, every single team in the AFC North had a winning campaign. Aside from the Bengals, who played the majority of the season without Burrow, the other three reached 10 wins by themselves and played post-season football.

There's not a weak team in the AFC North. Washington is not better than any of those four teams. I guarantee it.

Stroud added

Their dominance continued in the playoffs as the Ravens reached the championship game. However, they were beaten by eventual champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. In the NFC, both the Cowboys and the Eagles were knocked out in the wild card. The Cowboys lost to the Green Bay Packers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers thrashed Jalen Hurts‘ Eagles 32-9.