GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) ā Green Bay Packers edge rusher Micah Parsonsā return from a figures to take place a little later than the All-Pro initially hoped.
the day after the Packersā 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 āhad to get my meniscus cleaned up.ā Parsons said heās following a ānine-month ruleā 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.
āI donāt know,ā Parsons replied. āI just know itās a pure nine months (with) no football.ā
The nine-month mark would be Sept. 29, after the Packersā 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 isnāt setting a specific date.
āI would definitely say it is hard for me to accept,ā Parsons said. Not only is it hard to accept that Iām going to miss more time than what I want, but obviously hard to accept the injury. It constantly replays in my brain. ā¦ Like you donāt even know how much time I spent on Chat GPT about my injury and how to like I just canāt accept where Iām at. Iām like, āMan, how do I keep progressing and progressing?ā ā
Parsons earned honors and had 12Ā½ 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 They and the rest of the season without him.
āThe goal isnāt for me to go out there and re-hurt myself trying to force myself to get back the first few games,ā Parsons said. āThe goal has always been playoffs, and I think weāre all on the same page.ā
Parsons acknowledges maintaining that approach is difficult because heās so eager to get back on the field and start working with new defensive coordinator who came over after left to become the Miami Dolphins head coach.
āAll you can do is just try to make yourself better every day, and thatās all I try to do, control what I can control,ā Parsons said. āEveryone is completely different in their processes whatever they had to get cleaned up throughout their surgery, so everyoneās different. Everyoneās bodies are different, everyone heals different.ā
Parsons also discussed the advice he has received about his recovery.
āBecause of who you are, youāre going to feel good but weāve got to control you from feeling too good,ā Parsons said regarding one message he received from a doctor. āSo he was like, āSometimes youāve just to lose the battle so you can win the war.ā So thatās how long this process is. Every month youāre going to get a little bit better, every day youāre going to get a little bit better. Itās not one of those things where Iām going to be feeling terrible for months at time. Every day youāre going to get stronger, and youāre going to feel yourself get stronger.ā
Parsonsā injury spoiled what had been an in Green Bay after the 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 isnāt the only elite pass rusher to over the past year.
The Cleveland Browns sent to the 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 hadnāt spoken yet with Garrett since the trade, noting the two-time AP Defensive Player of the Year probably had received ā1,000 text messagesā by now. But he did offer a message of his own Wednesday for his fellow All-Pro.
āI would say itās a whole lot different from the NFC versus the AFC and I think everyone knows that,ā Parsons said. āSo I look at the AFC as like the AFC is cool, thereās a couple sharks. The NFC is shark infested. Itās shark infested. Itās like playoff football every week. Thereās not really weak opponents in the NFC. Iām going to put it like that.ā
___
AP NFL:
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
