Micah Parsons' ACL Injury, Packers Return Timeline Revealed by Insider amid NFL Rumors

Green Bay Packers star Micah Parsons is expected to wait until after Dec. 25 to undergo surgery on his season-ending ACL injury, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said Saturday on NFL Game Day.

"Generally, there's a little bit of a wait, for when you strengthen the area and then have surgery," Rapoport said Saturday. "He should make a full recovery within nine months, which should put him back right by the start of the season."

Parsons suffered his knee injury during last Sunday's loss to the Denver Broncos. He indicated in a social media the post the following day that he is eyeing a September return.

Rapoport previously said Friday that Parsons had suffered a "clean" ACL tear, and that he would undergo his procedure "after they strengthen the area around the knee in the coming days and weeks."

"So, has a chance— I would say, a good chance— to be ready for the start of the 2026 season," Rapoport said Friday.

Given that Parsons isn't expected to undergo his procedure until around the final week of December, however, a nine-month recovery timeline would place his return around the end of September.

In that case, given that the 2026 NFL season is expected to kick off on Sept. 10, Parsons could miss at least the first three games of his second campaign with the Packers.

Parsons could potentially be sidelined for longer than that. Last season, the Packers lost wide receiver Christian Watson in Week 18 to a torn ACL he suffered on Jan. 5. Watson made his return 294 days later by returning for a Week 8 matchup on Oct. 28.

A similar recovery timeline for Parsons, assuming he waits until at least Dec. 26 to undergo surgery, would push his return back to around Oct. 16 and Week 6 of the 2026 NFL season.

Parsons isn't the first player the Packers have lost to a torn ACL for the rest of the 2025 season. Tight end Tucker Kraft has also been sidelined since suffering his own right knee injury in November.

The Packers will hope to get both Parsons and Kraft back as early as possible in 2026.

Before then, however, Green Bay will have to play without them as the rest of the team takes on the Chicago Bears with control of the NFC North on the line Saturday night at Soldier Field.