Green Bay Packers linebacker Micah Parsons remains sidelined as the 2026 NFL season begins, focusing on his recovery from a torn ACL and a meniscus procedure on his left knee. Parsons sustained the injury late in the 2025 season and underwent surgery on December 29, 2025. While he has missed the opening games for the Packers, signs indicate that his return is approaching.
That means he cannot return before Week 5. Under the NFL rules for players on the reserve/PUP list, he must miss at least the first four games.
The Packers placed Parsons on the reserve/physically unable to perform (PUP) list before the start of the regular season.
Parsons Navigates Extended Recovery After Meniscus Surgery
In June, Parsons revealed he is adhering to a nine-month recovery plan established by the Packers’ medical team following his meniscus surgery. This procedure required him to use crutches for seven weeks, which has extended the duration of his rehabilitation compared to teammate Tucker Kraft, who is recovering from an ACL injury.
There is growing optimism around a Week 5 or Week 6 comeback. Packers officials have indicated he could be close when his four-game PUP period ends, while NFL reporting has pointed to Week 6 as a possible target. Parsons has specifically said a return for Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 18 is realistic. He said the Week 6 return is possible if he and the medical staff complete the necessary work.
Because dallas drafted him in 2021 and he spent his first four NFL seasons with the Cowboys before joining Green Bay, that game would be especially meaningful.
General manager Brian Gutekunst said the team expects to have a clearer idea of Parsons’ status once the mandatory four-game window is over. He said Parsons should be “pretty close” once that period ends. The Packers have also been careful not to rush him. However, Parsons has not guaranteed that he will play that night. The Packers’ official schedule lists Dallas for a Sunday Night Football game at Lambeau Field
