Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is not happy with the way NFL referees are officiating linebacker Micah Parsons, and he made his feelings known this week.
“I don’t think the intent is to take a player of his skill and limit him,” Jones said during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan. “He gets officiated, not differently, but most players that don’t get those holds … Micah doesn’t get them. [Other players can’t] get to the quarterback. Micah can; therefore, it is restricting to him.”
Jones was speaking in reference to refs not calling holding penalties on offensive linemen who may be doing a little extra to prevent Parsons from getting to the quarterback.
“They won’t call a holding penalty in a certain range of holding,” Jones added. “Usually, if they don’t think the player would’ve gotten to the quarterback to begin with. That doesn’t work for Parsons because he’s about to get there almost all the time. Anything that just limits him should be a hold.”
Parsons hasn’t drawn an offensive holding call since the middle of October, which is certainly strange for a pass rusher of Parsons’ caliber.
The star edge rusher himself was not thrilled with a roughing the passer penalty that he was flagged for in his team’s loss to the Miami Dolphins this past Sunday.
“[The ref] said my intent was to punish the quarterback,” Parsons told reporters after the game. “How am I trying to punish him if I’m just trying to sack him? It’s not like it was a late hit. It’s not like I’m leaving my feet. I didn’t lead with my head. I don’t know how you make that call.”
Parsons logged seven tackles and a half of a sack against the Dolphins. His production has certainly slowed in recent weeks, as he has totaled just 1.5 sacks in the last four games.
On the season overall, the 24-year-old has racked up 53 tackles, 13 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Parsons, who played his collegiate football at Penn State, was selected by the Cowboys with the 12th overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft.
He made the Pro Bowl in each of his first two seasons, tallying 13 sacks during his rookie campaign and following that up by posting 13.5 sacks last year.
Micah Parsons has two games left to top that number in 2023.
Dallas is 10-5 and will take on the Detroit Lions this Sunday. It will then wrap up the regular season when it battles the Washington Commanders on Jan. 7.
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