Host Colin Cowherd has been in the middle of a storm after his repeated shots against Micah Parsons. After the Green Bay Packers’ 10-7 defeat against the Eagles, Cowherd called Parsons a “splash player,” questioned his run defense, and insisted he isn’t in the same category as the league’s most versatile edge rushers.

Anyone who’s watched Green Bay since Parsons arrived knows how far this defense has come, and so does the Packers’ defensive coordinator, Jeff Hafley, who wasn’t about to let that criticism slide.

“If anybody wants to talk about Micah Parsons’ run defense, I’d like to sit down and watch the tape with them.” the DC said.

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You don’t need a coaching background to see the impact. Green Bay is sixth in rushing yards allowed per game, and Parsons sits atop the league in pass-rush production by PFF grades. Is he graded as the No. 1 run defender among edge players? No, he’s 24th.

But compared to the standard Parsons set for himself over the years, that’s more about expectations than shortcomings. He’s still moving games, still dictating protections, still a centerpiece of a defense that looks like a top-five unit since he arrived.

And anybody who actually watched the Eagles game this week, or the three losses this year, knows the defense is the least of the concerns for Green Bay. Their losses this season came while allowing 10, 13, and 16 points. If you give up 10 and still lose, that’s not on your pass rush. That’s on an offense that hasn’t held up its end.

And Hafley made sure that his defensive cornerstone wasn’t subject to unnecessary criticism. But Micah Parsons took matters into his own hands a while ago.

Micah Parsons hits back at Colin Cowherd

This whole thing kicked off Tuesday night after the Packers’ offense sputtered its way through an ugly loss to the Eagles. Instead of pointing to the unit that actually struggled, Colin Cowherd went straight at the defense, and at Micah Parsons in particular.

“Micah’s rep has always been, he is a splash player. A remarkable, athletic splash player. He’s not good against the run,” Cowherd said, prompting a reply from Parsons.

“We just held Saquon Barkley to 60 rushing yards, and our only losses have been holding teams to 13 points. Man, sometimes can y’all? Please stfu and enjoy great defense! Please stop giving people’s mics or listening to trash!” Parsons wrote on X.

And he has a point. The Packers bottled up Barkley all night; Philadelphia managed only 111 rushing yards, and the one explosive play Barkley did have came through the air on a 41-yard catch that set up Philly’s lone touchdown. If you watched the game, there was nothing about Green Bay’s run defense that looked soft. But it wasn’t enough to convince Cowherd.

“Cleveland’s not moving off Myles Garrett. Raiders aren’t moving off Max Crosby. The Steelers aren’t moving off T.J. Watt. Why? Because those are versatile edge rushers. Micah’s not. In his run with the Dallas Cowboys, they were 23rd against the run. They got sacks, they got pressure — they were 23rd against the run,” Cowherd said yesterday.

Then he stretched the comparison to Tyreek Hill, saying Hill isn’t an elite route runner or blocker but will still make the Hall of Fame because of his deep-ball ability, all in an effort to paint Parsons as a limited player.

Most analysts and fans see it for what it is: unnecessary criticism. The tape doesn’t match the narrative, and neither do the numbers. Whether Cowherd keeps this going likely depends on what Parsons does against the Giants this weekend.