Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones seemed to criticize NFL referees for not calling enough offensive holding penalties against edge rusher Micah Parsons in the past two months.
Parsons is known for his ability to disrupt opposing offenses, securing sacks and making his presence felt in the backfield. However, despite his aggressive play, Parsons has not drawn an offensive holding penalty since October.
While Jones doesn’t suggest that referees are intentionally limiting Parsons, he does believe that the All-Pro linebacker is facing unnecessary restrictions that prevent him from accumulating more sacks for the Cowboys’ defense. Jones expressed his thoughts on the matter during an interview with 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday.
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Jones acknowledged Parsons’ impressive stats for the season, including 13 sacks (tied for seventh in the league), 27 solo tackles, and one forced fumble. However, he believes that Parsons could have an even more significant impact if referees were not holding back on calling holding penalties.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on @1053thefan on Micah Parsons not drawing an offensive holding penalty since October:
“I don’t think the intent (by the refs) is to take a player of his skill and limit him. … There’s no question that Micah is having restrictions that if turned loose…
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) December 26, 2023
According to Jones, referees may refrain from calling holding penalties in situations where they don’t think the player would have reached the quarterback anyway. This approach, in Jones’ opinion, doesn’t suit Parsons, who is consistently on the verge of reaching the quarterback. He argues that anything restricting Parsons should be considered a hold.
Jones feels that Parsons is not getting a fair shake when it comes to drawing penalties, contrasting this with the situation for the Cowboys’ defense. After the Cowboys’ Week 16 loss to the Miami Dolphins, Parsons expressed his surprise at some of the calls made against Dallas, calling them “mind-blowing.”
Despite securing a playoff spot with a 10–5 record, the Cowboys trail the Philadelphia Eagles (11–4) by one game for first place in the NFC East. In Week 17, Dallas will look to bounce back as they host the Detroit Lions (11–4) on Saturday.
