The NFL is now in Week 6, but that doesn’t mean things in the past can’t and won’t be rehashed. Following Week 1’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys game, Bucs star running back Leonard Fournette and Cowboys star defender Micah Parsons had some words. The dialogue stemmed from what Parsons called an illegal block by Fournette as Parsons was engaged with another Bucs offensive player.
During a recent appearance on “The 33rd Team” podcast, Fournette, a Super Bowl champion and former LSU Tigers star, was asked about the situation.
“Me, honestly, I think the block was technically sound,” Fournette insisted. “Same foot, same shoulder. We know he’s a great athlete, he’s a good guy. And our left tackle needed help. That’s all it was. I’m not out there trying to hurt anyone, but I have a job to do. So I feel like it was a great block. I hit ’em in the shoulder.”
Fournette continued …
“A lot of discussion came after that because, nobody likes getting put on their behind by a running back, which is cool. I understand that. But for me, I give myself an A-plus. I did my job.”
Fournette provided what is considered a basic chip block, and it’s legal. He didn’t do anything dirty in his approach or technique. It was a sound block, and Parsons’ pride seemed to be hurt more than anything.
Parsons Feels Differently About The Block
In the aftermath of the game Parsons had a lot to say, and he wasn’t pulling any punches as he tweeted the following. He even called Fournette a pu**y.
Now go watch the tape! And see what happenned when it was me and him one on one!!! You hit someone not looking you straight pus**y !! Stop hyping this weak as* shit it’s football!! 😂😂 https://t.co/ITprQ4ECRg
— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) September 12, 2022
Former NFL DPOY and future Hall of Famer Von “Ring Chaser” Miller, a player Parsons has been compared to, agrees the block should be banned from the game. He tweeted this in support of Parsons.
“This block must be taken out of the game! This is the future and we are just letting the offense tee off on our marquee pass rushers! You can get the job done without this much contact!”
While Miller is speaking on behalf of Parsons, he’s no dummy, as he’s long been blocked the same way. So why not push for rule changes in the twilight of his illustrious NFL career?
Fournette And Parsons May Meet In The Playoffs: So We Can Settle This Once And For All?
Parsons has been great at rushing the passer early in his career, but he’s shown an unwillingness to step up and stop the run consistently. During the team’s Week 1 tilt, Fournette rushed for 127 yards on 21 carries, good for a 6 yards per rush. Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich made it a point to run at the freakishly athletic Parsons, sort of taking a page from the 49ers’ playbook in their upset playoff win over the Cowboys.
End of third quarter — Bucs up 19-3, Cowboys at Bucs' 45. Tampa Bay outgaining Dallas 310-144 — Fournette has rushed for 112, Brady has thrown for 199.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) September 12, 2022
Fournette is a big, bruising back who doesn’t avoid contact, and it’d be interesting to see those two meet again this season.
There are always plays that are questionable in NFL games. Plays that toe the line between legal and dirty. In this instance, it was a clean and legal block, used weekly around the NFL for years. That doesn’t mean more marquee defensive players won’t speak out against the obvious disparity in how offensive and defensive players are protected in the NFL.
