Micah Parsons scolds NFL officials over one-sided officiating: 'Complete bullsh*t'

Green Bay Packers (3-1-1) linebacker Micah Parsons is not a fan of how the game is being officiated across the league. He made that very clear Thursday, when he spoke with reporters for about 14 minutes.

Parsons spent the bulk of that time calling out NFL officials for what he believes is one-sided officiating. Specifically, he said that offensive players get away with holding far too often, calling for officials to “protect all players.”

“We put so much emphasis on protecting the offense. Protect the defense,” Parsons said, via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. “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… that’s complete bullsh*t. 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*t. You’ll get a $50,000 fine. I might get a fine for this conference. But like we said, it’s an offensive league. I think a lot of rules are bulls–t … If you’re going to say it’s about protecting players, then protect all players. Don’t just protect one side of the ball.”

Micah Parsons says he thinks “a lot of rules are bullshit.” He elaborates below.

“We put so much emphasis on protecting the offense. Protect the defense.”

“I might get a fine for this conference.” pic.twitter.com/reOAzUeE5b

— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) October 16, 2025

Micah Parsons is over NFL officiating

Earlier this week, head coach Matt LaFleur said that he thinks offensive linemen are getting away with “egregious” holds on Parsons. The highest-paid non-quarterback in league history, Parsons has just 2.5 sacks this season but is seventh in pressure percentage. According to Rob Demovsky of ESPN, the Packers have had only six holding penalties called on its opponents this season, tied for the third fewest in the NFL.

“Five years of not getting a call, you eventually stop worrying about it,” Parsons said. “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 wanna 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 like, I’m over, and I’mma just have to keep going, push through it.”

Parsons is over the missed holding penalties. He also took issue with a moment during this past Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals (2-4), in which he said he was blatantly poked in the eye, popping a blood vessel in his face. Parsons said he had to change his facemask during the game.

“It’s not the ones that are close that I’m worried about,” Parsons said. “It’s the ones where I’m getting pulled or someone’s at my facemask. 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.

“How do you think my whole face popped a blood vessel in my face? Like, what are we doing here? Guy can consistently keep putting his hands to my face, like what are we doing here? … I gotta protect my face. It’s pretty.”