Green Bay Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons isn't going to rush a return from a torn ACL, though he would change course if it were for the Super Bowl.
Parsons, who has yet to make his 2026 debut, said in the offseason that "it's very realistic" he'd be back for Sunday's matchup against his former team, the Dallas Cowboys. Instead, Parsons will miss out after the timeline for his return was reportedly pushed back to November.
The edge rusher explained that he wants to make sure everything feels 100% before he risks other complications from coming back prematurely.
"If the Super Bowl was this week, I'm playing in the Super Bowl," Parsons said on his podcast "The Edge with Micah Parsons." But it's just about me making sure I have all the small things fixed first. What a lot of people don't figure out is it's not just the ACL. It's like, why did the ACL happen? What was weak?
"Because it all works together. It's a chain. Throughout the history of ACL (injuries), they notice if you come back early, there tends to be an overcompensation injury on the other side or it could be on the same side," Parsons added.
"What's the point of getting me back for four weeks and then next thing you know, my groin bothering me. Now I have a core muscle (injury). It's not even about that. It's just about making sure you're doing everything right."
Parsons said he's been relying on Packers receiver and teammate Christian Watson for guidance in his rehab. Watson previously tore his ACL in January 2025.
The Packers acquired Parsons in a trade with the Cowboys before the 2025 season. He recorded 12.5 sacks and 41 tackles in his first year with Green Bay.
The Packers are 3-2 this season with a defense that ranks 14th in points allowed and has notched 14 sacks. Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper leads the team in sacks with three.
