Packers defensive end targets mid-October return after knee surgery

Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons will not play in Week 1 of the 2026 season after undergoing a second knee procedure. Parsons tore his ACL in Week 15 of the 2025 season and had surgery on Dec. 29. He later disclosed an additional meniscus procedure and stated he is following a nine-month recovery protocol.

Recovery timeline Parsons said research shows limited benefit from early returns after ACL reconstruction, particularly when additional repairs are required. He indicated a target return around mid-October, which would place him outside the first four games.

The player could begin the season on the physically unable to perform list. A return in Week 5 or Week 6 remains possible under the stated timeline.

Career context Parsons, 27, was named Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2021 and earned All-Pro honors in three of his first five seasons. He said the focus remains on long-term durability rather than an immediate return. "We have a pretty strong nine-month rule.

It's all about, just through the research and the data, there's no good outcomes with players coming back early from [an] ACL," Parsons said.