Green Bay Packers superstar edge-rusher Micah Parsons is having another monster season in 2025, even despite getting almost no help from NFL officials.
Adam Schefter of ESPN posted a statistic to social media on Sunday, December 14, detailing how long it has been since referees have issued a holding penalty against an opposing blocker during one of Parsons’ pass rushes.
“Green Bay’s Micah Parsons now has rushed the passer 307 times since the last time he got a holding penalty on a pass rush in Week 3, per ESPN’s ace researcher @EpKap,” Schefter wrote.
That is almost unthinkable, considering Parsons has tallied 12.5 sacks through 13 games and entered Week 14 tied for third-place in the league in that category, behind only Brian Burns of the New York Giants (13 sacks) and Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns (20 sacks).
NFL Fans Call Out League Over Lack of Calls for Packers, Micah Parsons
GettyGreen Bay Packers edge-rusher Micah Parsons.
Fans of the Packers, and other teams, accused the league of bias in the wake of Schefter’s report.
“Trust me, he gets held every other play,” one fan wrote. “It sucks watching him get no calls cuz he’s simply too good.”
Another commenter contended that the same thing happened when Parsons was a member of the Dallas Cowboys.
“Thought this was just a Cowboys thing,” that person responded. “What do the refs have against Micah?”
A third fan, purportedly of the Chicago Bears, suggested that the Parsons statistic is emblematic of what is happening all around the league.
“As a Bears fan, we held him like crazy,” the person commented on Schefter’s post. “That’s the league now. Offenses are rewarded over defenses, and injured QBs hurt revenue. It was dumb of the Packers to pay him nearly $50 million in today’s NFL.”
But the 20% that are beyond blatant need to be called. Dude is getting choked out at times and still not getting a call.
“I have no issue not calling 80% of them because all OL hold nearly every play,” a fourth fan commented. “But the 20% that are beyond blatant need to be called. Dude is getting choked out at times and still not getting a call.”
Packers Defense Remains Impressive, as NFC North Division Crown Within Reach
GettyPass-rusher Micah Parsons of the Green Bay Packers.
Regardless of bias, league-wide shifts in officiating or simply overwhelming and continuous coincidence, the numbers do not lie — Parsons is not getting the whistle, despite his status as an NFL superstar, and that represents a disadvantage for a Green Bay defense that has nevertheless carried the franchise at times throughout the season.
The Packers boast the fifth-rated defense, including a No. 7 ranking against the pass and No. 9 rating against the run. Green Bay is also tied for 11th in the league with a total of 33 sacks on the year.
Denver’s defense is first in the NFL with 55 sacks and is one of the few units that has been more dominant than Green Bay’s in 2025. The Broncos are third in overall defense, ninth against the pass and second against the run.
The Packers (9-3-1) are 1.5-point road favorites against the Broncos (11-2) on Sunday afternoon, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
Packers’ Micah Parsons Dealt Historic Disadvantage From Refs, NFL Accused of Bias