Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons has been vocal about how he’s been officiated in recent games.
When speaking to reporters on Thursday, the star pass rusher explained that the officials were partly to blame for his lack of sacks (2.5) through the first five games, describing some of the non-holding decisions that went against him (b*******).
“It’s just one of them things,” Parsons said via Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated. “Five years of not getting a call, you eventually stop worrying about it. 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.”
During the Packers game against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Parsons was on the wrong end of a penalty flag. Parsons was penalized for using a hip-drop tackle to sack quarterback Jacoby Brissett in the second quarter.
The sack would have been the second for Parsons on Sunday, but it was nullified by the 15-yard penalty, giving the Cardinals a first down at the Arizona 40-yard line. Arizona would score a field goal on the drive to cut the Packers’ lead to 6-3.
Micah Parsons flagged for a hip drop tackle pic.twitter.com/2iI0hhHYfe
— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) October 19, 2025
Parsons could face further punishment from the NFL for the hip-drop penalty. Per Pro Football Talk, New York Jets defensive lineman Quinnen Williams was fined $17,389 for a hip-drop tackle in Week 3.
Parsons has been fined before, incurring a $10,609 fine for flexing over Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert in 2022.
A couple of Packers beat writers questioned the call going against Parsons.
“I understand the emphasis on taking the hip-drop tackle out of the game,” wrote Zach Jacobson with 247 Sports. “With that being said, how else is micah parsons supposed to make that tackle? or any defender, for that matter? what are they supposed to do in that situation?”
“Micah Parsons was just flagged for a hip-drop tackle, which it looked like,” posted Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. “How many of those have been called since the added “emphasis” on them?”
It’ll be interesting to see if the league takes any action against Parsons for the hip-drop tackle–if they decide to review the penalty. The play by Parsons didn’t appear to be one of the more egregious uses of the hip-drop tackle, which has caused serious injuries in recent years.
