Former Penn State football linebacker Micah Parsons won’t be on the field at the beginning of the 2026 NFL season.
On Wednesday, it was announced that the Green Bay Packer underwent a meniscus procedure in addition to ACL surgery after suffering a season-ending injury in Week 15 in the 2025 regular season.
Former Penn State pass rusher Micah Parsons to miss start of 2026 NFL season
Parsons confirmed that recovery from the ACL tear will keep him sidelined for at least the first few weeks of the 2026 regular season. Additionally, he emphasized the organization’s nine-month timetable for rehabbing a serious injury.
“I think the goal has always just been not right now, but longevity with my career here," Parsons said to reporters at Green Bay’s facility. "I think they want that approach. We have a pretty strong nine-month rule. It's just all about, just 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, so it's just all about completing the rehab to the best of our ability and then seeing where we're at from there."
Parsons could be placed on the physically unable to perform list to start. This keeps him officially sidelined through the first four games of the regular season. Since he had surgery on Dec. 29, a return date on Oct. 11 lines up with his timeline. This is the Packers' game against the Chicago Bears, an NFC North battle.
"Just passed my fifth month on May 29, so extremely happy where we're at and the direction I'm going. Obviously, I've got four more months to go," Parsons said. "Just started running on an AlterG [treadmill] the past two weeks, so gaining my progression there."
The 27-year-old was fourth in the NFL with 12.5 sacks at the time of his injury, and has recorded double-digit sacks in each of his five pro seasons. Despite his 2025 campaign being cut short, Parsons still earned the third First Team All-Pro selection of his career.
Parsons is still in the midst of his prime, and the Packers are playing things on the safe side with his recovery.
"The goal isn't for me to go out there and re-hurt myself trying to force myself to be back in the first few games,” he said. “The goal has always been playoffs, and I think we're all on the same page."
The Nittany Lions will have a notable presence in Green Bay in 2026. Parsons is joined by fellow former Penn State edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton, whom the Packers selected in the fourth round of April’s 2026 NFL Draft.
Add us as a preferred source on Google