Cowboys’ Micah Parsons Expresses Frustration with Refereeing
Dallas Cowboys’ Micah Parsons, the formidable edge rusher, has yet to draw a holding penalty since Week 6 against the Los Angeles Chargers, leading to a growing impatience on his part.
“It’s been a while, you know? I’ve been pressuring the quarterback quite consistently during that time, so it’s definitely frustrating at times,” Parsons remarked. “But ultimately, I recognize that it’s part of the game.”
Parsons, who has been vocal about his frustration on his podcast and social media, shared a picture depicting an instance of him being held in the recent loss to the Miami Dolphins, which went unnoticed by the officials. Notably, Parsons received a penalty for roughing the passer in the same game, resulting in Miami’s sole touchdown.
“I believe the referees acknowledge that I’m a skilled player, but they might not fully grasp the specific plays I can execute with my speed and control,” Parsons explained.
Despite boasting an impressive 13 sacks this season, putting him in the company of Hall of Famer Reggie White, Parsons feels officiated differently from other players.
“To be honest, in the most humble way possible, I don’t think there’s another rusher like me in the league,” Parsons asserted. “My speed and the unique things I bring to the game set me apart. The way they treat me compared to other rushers is not the same. I don’t think they consider that, and they don’t realize I’m coming off the edge at 4.3, whereas some others might be 4.4 or 4.5.”
The Cowboys rank among the teams with the fewest offensive holding penalties, totaling 13. In contrast, the Las Vegas Raiders, led by star pass rusher Maxx Crosby, have drawn the most holding calls at 26. Parsons has only had one other holding penalty drawn in the Cowboys’ Week 2 victory against the New York Jets.
Expressing his dissatisfaction with the current situation, Parsons hopes the league explores the use of instant replay to secure more calls for pass rushers. Despite communicating with officials about potential penalties during games, Parsons hasn’t seen a significant change.
“I don’t resort to theatrics or flopping. I believe I can still make the play. Many plays happen within the [2.3-second range], so I just have to keep playing through it. It’s adversity, it’s challenges, but I’ll keep moving forward,” Parsons concluded.
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