Micah Parsons calls out NFL, officials for missing 'blatant' holding calls in loss to Eagles

Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons tossed verbal flags at game officials during his podcast this week. He claims there are not enough guys calling penalties, especially some blatant holds.

It was tough talk coming from the leader of the Cowboys defense. The NFL also doesn’t take kindly to criticism of the officials from coaches or players. For example, the league fined Steelers star Diontae Johnson $25,000 a week ago because the receiver didn’t like an offensive offsides and said so.

“If you’re gonna make calls you have to make calls everywhere,” Micah Parsons said on his podcast. “Not pick and choose where to make calls. There were blatant, blatant terrible holding calls that I feel like should have been called.”

He added “We need to have more refs. We need to have eyes out there because these calls are being missed in the game.”

And lo and behold, the Eagles Nation social media account amplied Parson’s clip about the officials.

Micah Parsons calls for “More Refs” in the NFL after the #Eagles loss. He says the refs missed “obvious, blatant, terrible” holding calls on the Eagles, and that the refs “pick and choose” when they make calls. pic.twitter.com/GZBrThOkec

— Eagles Nation (@PHLEaglesNation) November 11, 2023

There’s an old adage that only the losers complain about officiating. The Eagles did hold off the Cowboys, 28-23 last Sunday night. The game finished in dramatic fashion, with Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott completing a pass to CeeDee Lamb. But Darius Slay tackled Lamb at the Eagles 5 on the final play.

The final Dallas drive was extended 56 yards by penalties called against the Philly defense. Overall, the Cowboys secured five first downs via penalties to the Eagles three. Officials flagged the Cowboys 10 times for 83 yards. Meanwhile, the regs tagged the Eagles 10 times for 98 yards.

Micah Parsons was active. He totaled nine tackles, five of them solo, with 1.5 sacks.

Micah Parsons and the Cowboys return to AT&T Stadium Sunday for a game against the New York Giants. The oddsmakers aren’t expecting much of a contest as the Giants start Tommy DeVito at quarterback. New York lost starter Daniel Jones for the season with an ACL injury. And Tyrod Taylor, who had started in Jones’ place, now is on IR because of a rib injury. That left DeVito, an undrafted rookie free agent who played at Syracuse and Illinois. He’ll be the first rookie free agent QB to start a non-strike game for the Giants since at least 1967.

He’ll also be the 10th rookie to start at quarterback for an NFL team this fall. That’s the most since 1950, excluding any strike seasons.

The Cowboys and Giants kicked off the regular season at MetLife Stadium. The Cowboys sacked Jones seven times in the 40-0 thrashing. Micah Parsons secured one of the sacks. There may be no need to complain about holding.