Packers’ Micah Parsons Sacks Officiating With One No-Holds-Barred Word

GREEN BAY, Wis. – In theory, the big trade for Micah Parsons should have resulted in the Green Bay Packers producing more sacks and drawing more holding penalties.

Through five games, neither has been the case.

One key reason, according to Parsons, is the officiating, which he called “bull****.”

Heading into Sunday’s game at the Arizona Cardinals, the Packers are 20th in sack percentage and only two teams have drawn fewer holding penalties.

Last year, the Packers were 10th in sack percentage and only three teams drew more holding penalties.

To say Parsons is frustrated is to say that the player who has only 2.5 sacks but ranks fourth in the NFL in pressures has a way with words.

“It’s just one of them things,” Parsons said after Thursday’s practice. “Five years of not getting a call, you eventually stop worrying about it. I think I just got to keep going. That’s the hunt, yeah. That’s part of the challenge is you just got to keep going. And that’s bothersome. That worries them. They know that. That’s the part of being one of the best. That comes with some territory, parts that you hate and the parts that the league lets go,

“You can tell how they call the games. They don’t call offsides for offense, but they’ll call it on defense. They won’t call offensive pass interference, but they’ll call defensive pass interference immediately.

“We know what they’re trying to do. They want to load the points up so fans can be happy. They’ll call defensive holding, but they won’t call offensive holding. Let’s just wake up. It’s just one of those things that we know what the higher-ups is trying to do. The ref would say, ‘I know that’s a hold,’ but what, you’re not going to call it? Come on. It’s just one of those things that I’m over, and I’m just going to have to keep going, push through it.”

Packers coach Matt LaFleur said he “occasionally” sends clips of missed calls into the league, and added that it’s “definitely a conversation” he has with officials before games. Parsons understands he won’t get all the calls, nor does he expect them, but he does complain during the game about the blatant calls.

It’s all fallen on deaf ears, though.

“I don’t say anything before because it’s all about just staying focused,” Parsons said. “I don’t want to start the game off like, ‘Hey, am I going to get a hold today?’ But, sometimes, I’m just like, ‘All right, whatever.’ But sometimes, like, some egregious ones I do think should be called.

“A man pulled me to the ground. I feel like those types of things, in those situations, need to be called. They won’t hesitate to call me for a neutral zone infraction or call me offsides. You see the same things I’m seeing. It’s just one of those things.”

LaFleur said he wouldn’t start acting like an NBA coach and publicly lobbying for his star player.

“I think that’s frowned upon in our league,” LaFleur said.

Parsons said it probably wouldn’t help, anyway.

“Naw, I don’t think it matters,” he said. “The refs are going to call what they call. All we can do is just hope we get called a fair game.”

Sticking with the NBA comparison, it’s not unlike in-his-prime Shaquille O’Neal getting hammered again and again but not getting calls because he’s big and strong. In this case, Parsons is the superior player so the offensive linemen are getting a helping hand, in his opinion. Or a handful of jersey.

“I don’t care what the fans want sometimes,” he said. “If your team holds, they should get better tackles, better guards. Sh**, don’t blame that on us.”

Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyler Guyton (60) blocks Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Packers are on pace to draw 20 holds after being the beneficiary of 27 last season. The difference is even more stark at home, with 17 in nine games at Lambeau Field last season, or 1.88 per game, compared to two in three home games this season, or 0.67 per game.

Dallas, for what it’s worth, benefitted from 27 holding penalties last season with Parsons and are on pace to be at 25.5 this year.

He said he’s getting held, “About the same. About the same. But, like I said, it’s not the ones that are close that I’m worried about. It’s the ones where I’m getting pulled or someone’s at my face mask. What’s the point of having hands to the face if they’re not going to call it? ‘Well, they didn’t hold it there.’ Well, did that not mess me up? You’ll call that on us. They’ll call that on a DB, though. I just want them to call it both ways. That’s all I ask.”

Parsons said drawing two or three penalties a game is a “realistic” number. And this is where Parsons hit at what he believes is the heart of the matter.

“The ones that are close, that’s like whatever, that’s football. It’s combative. I get it,” he said. “But the egregious ones need to be called. That’s how guys get hurt, man. We put so much emphasis on protecting the offense. Protect the defense.

“A guy could be trying to catch the ball and you make a defensive play so he doesn’t catch it, and it’s targeting. It’s a flag. But a defensive end can be rushing and engaged with another player, and the guy can come blow his ribs out, and we’re not considered defenseless. But, like we said, it’s an offensive league. I think a lot of rules are bull****.”

Last week, Parsons said a hands-to-the-face penalty, which was not called by the officials, resulted in a popped blood vessel in his face.

“They just shrug it off,” he said of the officials.

Parsons said he got a new facemask midgame to offer additional protection, just like he’s been wearing additional rib protection to protect himself from chip blocks.

“I got to protect myself more than I ever had to since I’ve been in the league,” he said.

Parsons sees an uphill and unfair playing field. On offense, the best players in the NFL routinely get calls. On defense, one of the best players in the NFL is getting almost none.

“If you’re going to say it’s about protecting players, then protect all players. Don’t just protect one side of the ball,” he said. “Like, I don’t mind guys chipping from the outside, but running backs want to come and [blast] players while we’re engaged with offensive linemen. That’s complete bull****. That’s not good football. That’s not safe football, if that’s what we want to preach on the offensive side. I think those things are more frustrating.

“Like, who are we kidding? You want to fine guys for putting their head down, but you can be engaged with an offensive tackle and a guard can put his head right into your head. What are we talking about here? Look at how many times that’s on film – guys putting their head down and trying to come clean your clock. But you can’t do that to offensive players. Sh**, you’ll get a $50,000 fine. I might get a fine for this conference.”

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