Packers' Micah Parsons offers more
conservative update regarding his potential return
[June 04, 2026]
By STEVE MEGARGEE
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons’
return from a torn anterior cruciate ligament figures to take place
a little later than the All-Pro initially hoped.
Parsons said the day after the Packers’ wild-card playoff loss to
the Chicago Bears that he hoped to return for the season opener
while acknowledging that Week 3 or Week 4 seemed more realistic.
Parsons offered a more conservative estimate while updating
reporters on his recovery Wednesday.
He underwent surgery Dec. 29 and said that he also “had to get my
meniscus cleaned up.” Parsons said he’s following a “nine-month
rule” in terms of how long to wait before returning.
Parsons was asked if that meant a nine-month delay before playing,
or before practicing at all.
“I don’t know,” Parsons replied. “I just know it’s a pure nine
months (with) no football.”
The nine-month mark would be Sept. 29, after the Packers’ third
game. Considering Parsons may need more time to ramp up to game
readiness, his actual return date could come a few weeks after that,
though he isn’t setting a specific date.
“I would definitely say it is hard for me to accept,” Parsons said.
Not only is it hard to accept that I’m going to miss more time than
what I want, but obviously hard to accept the injury. It constantly
replays in my brain. … Like you don’t even know how much time I
spent on Chat GPT about my injury and how to like I just can’t
accept where I’m at. I’m like, ‘Man, how do I keep progressing and
progressing?’ “
Parsons earned All-Pro honors and had 12½ sacks in his first season
with the Packers before tearing his left ACL on Dec. 14.
The Packers were 9-3-1 and were leading the Denver Broncos when
Parsons injured his knee. They lost that game 34-26 and didn't win
again the rest of the season without him.
“The goal isn’t for me to go out there and re-hurt myself trying to
force myself to get back the first few games,” Parsons said. “The
goal has always been playoffs, and I think we’re all on the same
page.”
Parsons acknowledges maintaining that approach is difficult because
he’s so eager to get back on the field and start working with new
defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, who came over after Jeff
Hafley left to become the Miami Dolphins head coach.
“All you can do is just try to make yourself better every day, and
that’s all I try to do, control what I can control,” Parsons said.
“Everyone is completely different in their processes whatever they
had to get cleaned up throughout their surgery, so everyone’s
different. Everyone’s bodies are different, everyone heals
different.”
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Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons (1) in the second half
of an NFL football game Dec. 14, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David
Zalubowski, File)
Parsons also discussed the advice he has received
about his recovery.
“Because of who you are, you’re going to feel good but we’ve got to
control you from feeling too good,” Parsons said regarding one
message he received from a doctor. “So he was like, ‘Sometimes
you’ve just to lose the battle so you can win the war.’ So that’s
how long this process is. Every month you’re going to get a little
bit better, every day you’re going to get a little bit better. It’s
not one of those things where I’m going to be feeling terrible for
months at time. Every day you’re going to get stronger, and you’re
going to feel yourself get stronger.”
Parsons’ injury spoiled what had been an impressive
debut season in Green Bay after the Packers acquired Parsons from
Dallas for three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark and
their 2026 and 2027 first-round picks. Green Bay then signed Parsons
to a four-year, $188 million contract extension that included $136
million guaranteed.
He isn’t the only elite pass rusher to change teams over the past
year.
The Cleveland Browns sent Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams on
Monday for 2024 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse, a 2027
first-round pick, a 2028 second-rounder and a 2029 third-rounder.
Parsons said he hadn’t spoken yet with Garrett since the trade,
noting the two-time AP Defensive Player of the Year probably had
received “1,000 text messages” by now. But he did offer a message of
his own Wednesday for his fellow All-Pro.
“I would say it’s a whole lot different from the NFC versus the AFC
and I think everyone knows that,” Parsons said. “So I look at the
AFC as like the AFC is cool, there’s a couple sharks. The NFC is
shark infested. It’s shark infested. It’s like playoff football
every week. There’s not really weak opponents in the NFC. I’m going
to put it like that.”
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