Green Bay Packers edge defender Micah Parsons shared a hint about his injury recovery, and the details paint an encouraging picture for Green Bay. During his podcast “The Edge” on Bleacher Report, Parsons explained why he hasn’t returned to the field yet, even though he’s technically allowed to come off the physically unable to perform (PUP) list and play in the 2026 season.

“The biggest thing that people worried about with me, they’re like, ‘Man, why ain’t he back yet?’ If the Super Bowl was this week, I’m playing in the Super Bowl,” Parsons said. “But it’s just about me making sure I have all the small things fixed first.”

Parsons tore his ACL and also had his meniscus cleaned up during surgery on Dec. 29. The Packers tend to establish a nine-month no-football rule for injuries that go beyond a standard ACL tear, and that mark has already passed. Still, the star edge defender hasn’t practiced, and the Packers haven’t even opened his 21-day practice window.

“What a lot of people don’t figure out is it’s not just the ACL,” Parsons explained. “It’s like, why did the ACL happen? What was weak? Because it all works together. It’s a chain. And throughout the history of ACL, they notice if you come back early, there tends to be an overcompensation injury on the other side. We are just gonna make sure everything is right before. Because everyone knows, it’s like, what’s the point of getting me back for four weeks and then next thing you know, my groin is bothering me.”

Parsons don’t have to rush his return

Parsons obviously wants to make sure the little details are right, both with his knee and with his body in general. Players who suffer serious knee injuries sometimes return a little early, and they end up dealing with follow-up problems like soft tissue injuries.

That’s exactly what the defensive star wants to avoid. He also doesn’t want to get hurt somewhere else by overcompensating for the knee. Therefore, the goal is to have his body fully right so that, once he returns, he stays on the field.

That’s also what the Packers want, and that’s why they aren’t rushing his return.

A long-term investment

When Green Bay traded two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark to acquire Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys, that was always a long-term investment. The Packers want to maximize Parsons’ window as an elite player, but they also know he’s under contract through 2029. Parsons himself wants to make sure he’s part of the team’s long-term future.

Nonetheless, the return is getting closer. Head coach Matt LaFleur has already said the time is coming for Parsons to be back. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, there’s a scenario where Parsons returns to the practice field next week, ahead of the Week 7 game against the Detroit Lions.

That doesn’t mean Parsons will play against the Lions. He’ll want a ramp-up period in practice before returning to games, and the 21-day window gives Green Bay three weeks to work him in without adding him back to the 53-man roster.

The Week 10 scenario is plausible

If Parsons starts practicing next week, a return to game action by Week 9 or Week 10 looks reasonable. The Minnesota Vikings game in Week 10 seems like the more realistic target.

In Week 9, the Packers travel to face the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium, which has artificial turf. In Week 10, they host the Vikings at Lambeau Field on natural grass, and then they have their bye in Week 11.

That sequence lines up well for a player coming off a knee injury. Parsons could return against the Vikings on grass with some load management in terms of snaps, and he would then have two weeks of rest and preparation before the following game, a huge NFC matchup against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 12.

For the most part, everything points to Parsons being back soon. He says he’s ready as far as the injury is concerned. The patience comes from a different place: he wants his future in Green Bay to be as bright as his initial stint looked.