By Micah Parsons insists he could play right now, but the Green Bay Packers star pass rusher is deliberately holding himself back. Speaking on his podcast “The Edge,” the 27-year-old revealed that while he feels healthy enough to suit up, he refuses to rush his return from a torn ACL and meniscus in his left knee.
Parsons made the surprising admission days before a Sunday night showdown against his former team, the Dallas Cowboys, at Lambeau Field — a game he once circled as a realistic return date.
Micah Parsons (Credits: Our Insane Blogs)
“If the Super Bowl Was This Week, I’m Playing”
Parsons did not hold back when fans asked why he still hasn’t taken the practice field. He explained that being medically cleared and being fully ready are two very different things.
“If the Super Bowl was this week, I’m playing in the Super Bowl,” Parsons said. “But it’s just about me making sure I have all the small things fixed first.”
His reasoning centers on a fear that plagues ACL recoveries across the league: compensating for the repaired knee can cause new damage elsewhere. Coming back too soon risks groin strains and core muscle injuries on the opposite side of the body, which would sideline him even longer.
“What’s the point of getting me back for four weeks and then next thing you know, my groin bothering me,” he added.
Packers Still Haven’t Opened His Practice Window
Green Bay has not yet opened Parsons’ 21-day practice window, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the team does not expect him to practice this week. Head coach Matt LaFleur said the team is waiting for the medical green light.
“As soon as they give us the green light, he’ll be out there. That hasn’t happened yet, but I think we’re getting closer,” LaFleur told reporters on Monday.
LaFleur acknowledged there is extensive testing before a player coming off a major injury gets medically cleared, and the team will want to give Parsons time to get back into football shape once he returns to the field. The expectation is that he could return sometime in October, though some reports suggest the timeline could stretch into November if rehab doesn’t go as planned.
A Costly Injury After a Blockbuster Trade
Parsons was acquired by Green Bay from Dallas ahead of the 2025 season in a blockbuster deal that sent two first-round picks and defensive lineman Kenny Clark to the Cowboys. He then signed a four-year, $188 million extension.
The investment paid immediate dividends: Parsons racked up 12.5 sacks and 27 quarterback hits in 14 games during his first season in green and gold before going down against the Denver Broncos on December 14.
It was the same franchise where he made four Pro Bowls in his first four NFL seasons, becoming the only player in league history with at least 12 sacks in each of his first five seasons. Fans who hoped to see him take revenge against Dallas this Sunday will have to wait a little longer.
The good news for the Packers: even without their star edge rusher — and with linebacker Edgerrin Cooper out for the season — young defenders have emerged and the defense has held up. But nobody in Green Bay is pretending Parsons is replaceable. When he finally returns, the pass rush gets its centerpiece back.
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Source: ESPN — read the full story there.
