GREEN BAY, Wis. Micah Parsons moved closer to returning to the Green Bay Packers on Wednesday, Nov. 4, participating in individual practice drills as he works back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The appearance marked another step toward his first game since injuring his left knee on Dec. 14, 2025, but Parsons cautioned that returning to action and regaining his All-Pro form are different goals.
His return to practice opened a 21-day window for the Packers to activate him from the physically unable to perform list. That schedule could put him in position to make his season debut against the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 25. Parsons declined to commit to a particular game, saying he wants to build through the practice period without creating expectations he might be unable to meet.
Parsons said his conditioning is at the lowest level of his career after a recovery that kept him out of training camp. He does not consider a workload of 50 or 60 snaps realistic at this stage, either for his body overall or for his knee. While he expects his best form to take longer to recover, he believes he can bring effort and contribute to a defense that has already performed well.
Having Parsons on the practice field lifted the Packers as they prepared to visit the New England Patriots on Sunday. Both teams entered that matchup at 5-3. Quarterback Jordan Love said Parsons would probably need a couple of weeks to settle back into football activity, but welcomed his presence and the prospect of his return.
Parsons recorded 12 1/2 sacks in 13 games for Green Bay last season before suffering the injury during a loss at Denver. The Packers had acquired him from the Dallas Cowboys shortly before the 2025 season and signed him to a four-year contract worth $188 million, including $136 million guaranteed.
Green Bay's results last season illustrated his importance. The Packers were 9-3-1 and ahead of the Broncos when Parsons was injured. They lost that contest and did not win another game for the remainder of the season. This year, however, the defense has remained productive in his absence, ranking third in the NFL by allowing 4.7 yards per play and tying for seventh with 2.8 sacks per game.
Parsons credited Nate Weir, the Packers' director of sports medicine and head athletic trainer, with helping him navigate the lengthy rehabilitation. He described Weir as someone who provided friendship and fatherly support alongside his work as a trainer, adjusting to what Parsons needed throughout the recovery.
As he prepares to play again, Parsons expects an uneven transition. He believes there will be moments when his pass rushing resembles his All-Pro performances, alongside mistakes that leave him questioning his decisions. After nearly 11 months away because of the injury, he said he accepts those difficulties as part of finding his way back.
