The Green Bay Packers improved to 3-1-1 after a dominant 27-18 Week 6 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. But before looking ahead to Arizona, one defensive voice has made it clear that something needs to change on the officiating front.
Edge rusher Micah Parsons didn’t hold back during Thursday’s media session. His frustration centered on a pattern he’s observed throughout the season: holding calls go uncalled too often, affecting defensive players while offensive linemen seem to operate with more freedom.
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What started as personal grievance quickly escalated into a broader critique of how the NFL handles its rule enforcement.
Parsons was blunt about the imbalance he’s witnessing week after week. The defensive end pointed out that minor infractions on defense get flagged immediately, while similar violations on offense frequently slip past officials unnoticed.
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“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. I think a lot of the rules are bull—-,” Parsons said.
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
His message came through clearly and without hesitation. According to Parsons, the league’s strategy is transparent: inflate scoring and keep fans entertained. He also highlighted the uneven application of holding penalties—defensive grabs get whistled consistently while offensive ones frequently don’t.
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This season, the Packers have grown increasingly frustrated with the lack of holding calls against linemen trying to block Parsons himself.
Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons
Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons (1) against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, October 12, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.Green Bay defeated Cincinnati 27-18. Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
Parsons even stressed that he hasn’t seen a favorable call in five years. If the league truly wants to protect players, it should protect everyone equally, he argues.
Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur has already acknowledged the issue publicly and intends to discuss the matter directly with the officiating crew before Sunday’s matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.
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