Green Bay Packers Star Could Miss Half Of 2026 Season With ACL Injury

GREEN BAY, WI — Green Bay Packers pass rusher Micah Parsons said he will not make his 2026 debut until at least mid-October as he continues recovering from a torn ACL and meniscus, according to ESPN.

Parsons suffered the injury in a Week 15 loss at Denver on Dec. 14 and had surgery Dec. 29.

The Packers follow a strict "nine-month rule" for ACL recovery, placing his earliest possible return around Sept. 29.

But Parsons told reporters the floor is mid-October at the soonest, meaning he will likely miss at least the first five weeks of the regular season.

Coach Matt LaFleur said Parsons is expected to open training camp on the physically unable-to-perform list.

Players who start the season on the PUP list must miss at least the first four games and have a three-week window to be added to the active roster once eligible.

The timing is significant. The Packers host the Chicago Bears in Week 5 on Oct. 11 and the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6 on Oct. 18, two marquee games at Lambeau Field that Parsons may not be available for.

A separate report from NFL reporter Jason La Canfora projected Parsons could miss "upwards of half the season," which would push his return closer to the Week 9 road game at New England.

Parsons said his focus is on being healthy for the stretch run rather than rushing back.

"I think for the betterment, everyone wants me at 100 and wants me in those games so we can make this championship run," he said.

The four-time All-Pro also acknowledged how difficult the recovery has been mentally.

"I haven't accepted it yet, but I work hard as hell every day trying to make sure that I will be better when it comes out of this," Parsons said.

The stakes are high for the Packers, who traded two first-round picks to acquire Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys before last season. He justified the cost immediately, posting 12.5 sacks in 14 games and earning his fourth career All-Pro selection.

Green Bay went 9-3-1 with him in the lineup but lost all five games he either missed or did not finish, including a wild-card playoff loss to the Bears.