Bucs Gameday

Micah Parsons Calls Out Leonard Fournette After Loss to Buccaneers

It's clear that Micah Parsons was upset about more than just his team's loss to the Bucs on SNF.

Collin Haalboom

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Following a Week 1 matchup on Sunday Night Football that saw the Tampa Bay Buccaneers dominate the Dallas Cowboys in all three phases of the game, which eventually resulted in a 19-3 victory for the Bucs, there's quite a bit left to unpack. 

Key players for each team were injured. The Bucs looked fantastic, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The Cowboys did not. 

One bright spot for Dallas though, was the play of their second-year defensive superstar, Micah Parsons.

READ MORE: Chris Godwin Out After Injury Against Dallas Cowboys

Parsons registered five total tackles, and two sacks in the contest while wreaking havoc on the Bucs' offensive line in a way that isn't fully represented in the boxscore. Parsons became even more of a concern for Tampa the moment their big, reliable left tackle, Donovan Smith, was forced to leave the game with an arm injury.

So with backup tackle, Josh Wells, thrust into the unenviable task of trying to block one of the premier defensive players in the game, the Bucs were forced to get creative. This meant some collaboration of linemen, tight ends, and running backs were all forced to chip in – literally, in some cases.

Aside from the nasty block shown above – which quickly made its presence felt on social media, as well as the field – Leonard Fournette, just like Parsons, had himself a game. Fournette looked fast, aggressive, and decisive running the football from start to finish. Which resulted in 127 yards rushing on 21 carries, and a decisive victory for the Bucs.

READ MORE: Buccaneers predicted to trade for two-time Pro Bowl quarterback in 2023

So despite his best efforts, Micah Parsons came away on the losing side of this game. And although the loss surely wasn't fun to be a part of for Parsons, it appears as though the attention given to Fournette for the block shown above, really struck a chord. 

Parsons took to Twitter to defend his honor, and in doing so, took a direct shot at Leonard Fournette. But something tells me this one didn't hurt Fournette... at least not as much as the shot Fournette delivered to Parsons in front of a national audience, live on Sunday Night Football.

Leonard Fournette has yet to respond directly to Parsons' Twitter tirade, and I wouldn't be surprised if he chooses not to. 

Why? 

Because I imagine 'SNF Lenny' has bigger plans right now, like winning football games, and hopefully by season's end, re-establishing his more beloved moniker, 'Lombardi Lenny'. 

For more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, follow Collin Haalboom on Twitter, and subscribe to the Bucs Banter YouTube channel! 

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Collin Haalboom
COLLIN HAALBOOM

Prior to joining BucsGameday and Sports Illustrated, Collin's written content was provided through Bucs Banter, and NFL Draft Lounge. He is also the creator and host of the Bucs Banter Podcast. He is a graduate of the Communication Studies program at McMaster University, where he was also a varsity basketball player, and later an advanced scout. He lives with his wife and two children in Hamilton, ON. You can follow Collin on YouTube and Twitter.