Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons returned to the practice field Wednesday for the first time in nearly 11 months, taking part in individual drills as he works back from a torn ACL and dual meniscus repairs suffered last December.
Parsons did not set a firm date for his 2026 season debut, though the end of his newly opened 21-day practice window lines up with the Packers’ Week 12 game against the Los Angeles Rams on Thanksgiving Eve. He expects to increase his workload next week but stressed that full readiness will take time.
The 27-year-old told reporters he anticipates both high-level moments and struggles once he returns to games.
“Am I gonna go out there and play 50, 60 snaps, how I was doing before? Absolutely not. It’s just not realistic,” Parsons said.
“My body’s not there yet. I don’t even think my knee is built for that yet. I didn’t go through a training camp. Am I going to be the All-Pro Micah, the person I once was this year? Probably not until later, after I go through all my phases and things like that. . . . I think you’ll see flashes of All-Pro Micah when I get to pass rush, and there’s going to be times when you’re going to be like, ‘Dang, what was Micah doing?’ There’s going to be times when I question myself, too. Like, what was I doing right there? I’m not ashamed of that. I’m not scared of seeing the failure of this thing because I just came back from 11-month injury. I’m not shying away from the possibility of bad plays.”
Parsons tore his ACL in the left knee during Green Bay’s Dec. 14, 2025, loss at Denver. Surgeons also performed full repairs on both the medial and lateral menisci, which kept him non-weight-bearing for about two months and extended the recovery timeline beyond a standard ACL reconstruction.
In 14 games last season he recorded 12.5 sacks, 41 tackles (19 solo) and 26 quarterback hits. Those numbers earned him first-team All-Pro honors from the Associated Press, his third such selection in five seasons. He is the only player since 1982 to post at least 12 sacks in each of his first five NFL years.
Next Gen Stats credited him with 83 pressures through Week 15 of 2025, ranking among the league leaders despite missing the final stretch. His production helped the Packers’ pass rush before the injury, and coaches have noted the defense has remained solid in his absence.
Through eight games this season the Packers stand 5-3 and fourth in the NFC North. The defense ranks 10th in points allowed at 20.5 per game and sits in the top 10 in total yards allowed. The unit is generating 2.8 sacks per game, tied for seventh in the NFL, led by contributors such as Lukas Van Ness.
Head coach Matt LaFleur said Parsons was cleared for full-speed work in the individual drills he performed Wednesday. The team limited him to those drills while trainers continue monitoring his ramp-up. Parsons described the session as fulfilling and said he felt no nerves after more than 300 days of rehab work.
He noted that his current conditioning is the lowest of his career and that his knee is not yet ready for a heavy snap load. The Packers acquired Parsons from Dallas before the 2025 season in a trade that included multiple draft picks and a subsequent contract extension worth roughly $186 million to $188 million with substantial guarantees.
Teammates and staff have described his presence on the practice field as a morale lift even before he plays. Quarterback Jordan Love called it a boost for a group that already ranks among the league’s better units in several defensive categories.
Parsons said he took a patient approach to the recovery and believes the timing of his potential return aligns with the most competitive part of the schedule. He expects the process to include uneven performances while he rebuilds timing and endurance after missing training camp and the early portion of the regular season.
The 21-day window requires the Packers to activate him or return him to the physically unable to perform list by late November. While reports have pointed to the Rams game as a possible target, Parsons has repeatedly declined to commit to any specific date so he does not create unmet expectations.
Green Bay’s remaining schedule includes a Week 9 road game at New England followed by a home matchup against Minnesota and the Thanksgiving Eve contest in Los Angeles. Adding Parsons, even in a limited role, would give the defense another proven pass rusher as the Packers push for a playoff spot in a competitive NFC North.
His return path has been longer than those of teammates who recovered from ACL tears earlier this year, a difference he attributes to the combined meniscus work. Trainers, including the team’s director of sports medicine, guided the process with input from outside specialists.
Parsons has said the patience has been worthwhile and that he is looking ahead to contributing during November and December football. The Packers view his eventual return as a potential upgrade to a defense that has already shown consistency without him.
