The Packers will be missing a very important piece of their defense to open the 2026 season.
On Wednesday, star pass rusher Micah Parsons shared that he will not be available to start the season and is instead targeting a mid-October return to the field.
Parsons tore his ACL in Week 15 last season and underwent surgery on Dec. 29.
Parsons also revealed that he underwent a meniscus procedure, and stated that there is a clear nine-month rule from the date of surgery to the end of his rehab and his ability to return to playing in games.
“We have a pretty strong nine-month rule. It’s all about, just through the research and the data, there’s no good outcomes with players coming back early from [an] ACL,” Parsons said. “Especially if you had other things that had to get fixed up, so it’s just all about completing the rehab to the best of our ability and then seeing where we’re at from there.”
Following the nine-month rule, it would seem that Parsons will not be returning before Sept. 29.
It’s possible he starts the season on the PUP list, meaning he would be out for the first four games of the season, but he could target a return in Week 5 against the Bears on October 11 or Week 6 against the Cowboys, his former team, on October 18.
Parsons, 27, was the 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year and has been an All-Pro in three of his first five seasons. He emphasized longevity when asked about his future.
“I think the goal has always been not right now, but longevity with my career here,” he said, “I think they want that approach.”
