The Green Bay Packers are back in the playoffs as they prepare to play the rival Chicago Bears on Saturday, but Green Bay will be without a notable name.
Pass rusher Micah Parsons will be unavailable for this game after suffering a season-ending injury late in the season. The Packers acquired Parsons with the playoffs in mind, hoping the pass rusher could take over games in January, but that won't be the case this year.
Without Parsons, who is widely considered to be the best player on the Packers' defense, other players on the unit will have to find a way to fill in the gaps. For Parsons, though, he will have to wait until next year to make his playoff return.
Here's a breakdown of Parsons' injury and when he might be back on the field.
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Where is Micah Parsons?
Micah Parsons is out for the season after suffering a torn ACL in a game against the Denver Broncos.
While Parsons played in 14 games for the Packers this season, he will not be able to play in the playoffs for Green Bay and is instead looking towards the 2026 season.
What happened to Micah Parsons?
In a December game against the Broncos, Parsons went down with a non-contact knee injury as he was rushing the passer.
Micah Parsons suffers a non-contact knee injury the same quarter the Packers lose Christian Watson to a chest injury
— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) December 14, 2025
oof. Pic.twitter.com/IPOuEBjAhP
An MRI confirmed that Parsons tore his ACL, ending his first season in Green Bay early. Parsons had surgery to repair his ACL on December 29 and is already in the process of rehabbing to return to the field.
Micah Parsons via his IG📱
— ESPN Milwaukee (@ESPNMilwaukee) December 29, 2025
Sending good vibes for a successful surgery and quick recovery! #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/nrAjQxXrgW
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When will Micah Parsons return?
Parsons will rehab his ACL injury all offseason with the plan to return to action for the start of the 2026 season. On the day the medical staff confirmed Parsons' torn ACL injury, the pass rusher posted on social media that implied he was focused on returning in September.
September! 🫡🦁 pic.twitter.com/bU6XPNOG6L
— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) December 15, 2025
Torn ACLs typically take around 8-12 months to fully recover, so Parsons' return will largely depend on how his rehab progresses. If Parsons doesn't have any setbacks, then a September return is in play, but it's also possible the Packers try to slow-play his rehab so that he will return later in the year.
ACL recovery timeline in NFL
NFL players who suffer a fully torn ACL usually return 8-12 months after the injury first occurred. That range is dependent on many different factors, including the rehab process, so Parsons' timeline will be determined over the course of the Spring and Summer.
If Parsons follows a nine-month rehab, he should be able to return during the first month of the regular season, but any setback would mean the pass rusher would return closer to the middle of the season.