Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette earned praise on social media on Sunday night after he laid out Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons with a devastating block.
Parsons, who was named Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-Pro as a rookie last season, ended up on his backside on the play after Fournette joined left tackle Josh Wells in double-teaming the star pass-rusher.
The play resulted in a big gain for the Bucs when quarterback Tom Brady completed a pass to veteran wide receiver Julio Jones.
But not everyone appreciated how the play unfolded. With Parsons already engaged by Wells, Parsons seemed to never see Fournette coming.
After the game, Parsons took to Twitter to furiously downplay Fournette's effort, which Pro Football Focus' Twitter account generously described as a pancake block.
"Now go watch the tape!" Parsons said while quote-tweeting PFF. "And see what happened 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!!"
Bills defensive end Von Miller seemed to agree with Parsons and even took it a step further, declaring that blocks on unwitting pass rushers "must be taken out of the game."
The NFL has moved in recent years to minimize crack-back blocks on unsuspecting defenders.
In 2019, the league first instituted a rule against blindside blocks, seemingly intended to curb the crushing hits often delivered by wide receivers and special teams players peeling back against would-be tacklers pursuing ballcarriers.
But clearly, Miller and perhaps Parsons feel there is still work left to be done to properly protect defenseless defenders.
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