Packers' Micah Parsons won't return until at least mid-October - ESPN

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Micah Parsons' initial hope that he could return within the first month of the season was never realistic, and the Green Bay Packers' star edge rusher has come to terms with that.

Parsons said Wednesday that he's just past the five-month mark from his ACL surgery, which he revealed also included a procedure on his meniscus, and that he won't be cleared to be back on the football field — even for practice — until the nine-month mark.

That would put his earliest possible return to practice in late September, and the Packers likely would not allow him to play in a game until after several weeks of practice. Parsons is likely to open the season on the physically unable to perform list, which means he would automatically miss at least four games.

«The goal for me is to complete the season — not no relapse — and playoffs and pushing towards a championship,» Parsons said. «The goal isn't for me to go out there and rehurt myself trying to force myself to get back the first few games. The goal has always been [to be available for the] playoffs, and I think we're all on the same page.»

Parsons sustained his left knee injury Dec. 14 against the Denver Broncos and said he had surgery Dec. 29. Shortly after the season, he said he hoped he could return within the first month of the 2026 season, which opens Sept. 13 at Minnesota.

«We have a pretty good strong nine-month rule,» Parsons said of the Packers. «Through the research and the data, there's no good outcomes with players coming back early from an ACL, especially if you had other things that had to get fixed up. It's just all about completing the rehab to the best of our ability and then seeing where we're at from there.»

If Parsons starts the season on the PUP