Despite leading the NFL with 4.6 pressures per game (per ESPN Research), the Packers have drawn only six offensive holding penalties all season, tied for the third-fewest in the league. Even against Cincinnati last Sunday, Micah Parsons registered five pressures but zero quarterback hits for the first time this year, a glaring discrepancy that left him questioning how much offensive linemen are getting away with.
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So, the former Dallas DE didn’t hold back. Speaking to the media on Thursday, the Green Bay Packers star unleashed a fiery critique of NFL officiating, accusing referees of favoring offensive players and calling the league’s protective rules “bulls***.”
“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 wanna load the points up so fans can be happy.”
He also cited an incident where a Bengals player poked him in the eye, bursting a blood vessel, yet no illegal hands-to-the-face flag was thrown.
Insinuating that defensive players are at a clear disadvantage, he said, “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 could be rushing and engaged with another player and a guy could come blow his ribs out. We’re not considered defenseless. But like we said, it’s an offensive league.”
However, Dallas superfan Skip Bayless was not in his corner. Bayless, never one to hold back, dismissed Parsons’ complaints as classic excuse-making. On ‘The Arena,’ Bayless laughed off the rant, saying, “I’ve seen this act for five years. He said, ‘five years of not getting calls,’ you eventually stop worrying about it? Baloney.”
The veteran analyst accused Parsons of using officiating as a crutch for underperformance. “It’s already starting in Green Bay — the excuse-making,” Bayless said.
“He played against Joe Flacco last Sunday and had zero hits on the quarterback and zero sacks. He has two and a half sacks through five games — and two of those were chasedowns near the line of scrimmage. Stop it.”
Bayless went on to criticize Parsons’ playoff production in Dallas, saying, “I watched four full playoff games — one sack in four games. He’s so much talk and not enough action. Just get to the freaking quarterback. Destroy the pocket one time.”
League-wide, defensive players have repeatedly complained about inconsistent officiating — particularly regarding holding, illegal contact, and roughing the passer. The NFL’s emphasis on offense and quarterback safety is well-documented, but 2025 has seen a noticeable dip in defensive holding calls compared to offensive ones, creating a perception imbalance.
Still, blaming officials can be a dangerous slope for a player of Parsons’ stature. While he’s statistically dominant, the lack of big highlight plays like sacks, forced fumbles, and splash hits feeds critics like Bayless, who argue production should speak louder than press conference frustration.
With a Week 7 showdown looming, Parsons will have the chance to silence both refs and critics on the field. The Packers host the Philadelphia Eagles on November 10, a matchup that could test both his words and his patience.
