Packers Superstar Micah Parsons: I’m At Least 4 Months Away From Returning

Green Bay Packers pass-rusher Micah Parsons told reporters Wednesday that he remains at least four months away from returning to play following the ACL tear he suffered in December, a timeline that would place him on the physically unable to perform list at the start of the 2026 NFL season and rule him out for a minimum of the first four games. Parsons said his personal target is to be healthy for the postseason, telling reporters: “The goal for me is to complete the season … the goal has always been [to be healthy for the] playoffs.”

Should Parsons open the year on the PUP list, Green Bay would be without him for Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, Week 2 against the New York Jets, Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons, and Week 4 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Any extension beyond that mandatory four-game absence would also endanger his availability for a Week 5 divisional matchup against the Chicago Bears and a Week 6 meeting with the Dallas Cowboys – the franchise that traded Parsons to Green Bay last August as part of a deal that also sent defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round picks to Dallas. Parsons subsequently signed a four-year, $186 million extension with the Packers.

Before the ACL injury cut his debut Packers season short after 14 games, Parsons had recorded 12.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and 41 combined tackles. He earned a Pro Bowl selection for the fifth consecutive year and was named a first-team All-Pro for the third time in his career. The Packers’ defense ranked 11th in points allowed per game last season, though the unit faces significant restructuring: defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley departed to become head coach of the Miami Dolphins, and edge rusher Rashan Gary was traded to Dallas.

Green Bay was eliminated by the Bears in the NFC wild-card round last season – the second straight year the Packers exited in the opening playoff round – and begins 2026 needing to rebuild defensive depth around a pass-rusher who, two months after surgery, described his mindset as “extremely good” and predicted he would return playing at the highest level. Whether Parsons can be available by mid-season will be a primary variable shaping Green Bay’s conference standing and playoff prospects.