Green Bay Packers: Micah Parsons issues challenge to teammates in preparation for 2026 NFL season

The hope, of course, is that the Packers players report for the offseason program in shape and ready to get back to work in 2026. Indeed, they fell short of just above every single one of their goals this past season, and will need to improve in order to reach them this year.

In order to do this, the players themselves need to be committed to getting better and be self-motivated. All season long, many fans blamed coaches for the sometimes poor effort displayed by Green Bay’s players.

But Parsons does not believe that that weakness falls on the coaches. It is on the players themselves to fix, as he told the Packers media earlier this week:

“Us players [are the ones] playing the game. Challenge the players, challenge the guys, like I said today. ‘Do more than what your jobs require. If you’re in shape, run more. Do more.’

“We gotta be out there like, if we gotta play 80 snaps, we play 80 f—ing snaps. We shouldn’t be tired doing that. We gotta strain, you know what I mean?

“We lost because we got out-strained. Those are things that can’t happen. People can’t outwork [us]. Like, I dare people to beat me to the ball, right? I am running to the ball like my life depends on it. And it do!

“My life depends on the outcome and how this team plays. I need you to want me to beat me to the ball. I need you to want to beat me to the quarterback every play. Like, everything is a competition. Even though we are teammates, we are still competing to reach the same common goal.

“Because like, as I realize is, I want the same success for you as I want for me. Whether you get your money here or you get your money somewhere else, we are all tied to together, so our one goal is to get to that championship.

“You can’t coach effort, and that’s the mentality I want guys to embrace.”

Parsons’ remarks, given when the team was cleaning out their lockers on Monday, point to a concern that many fans had regarding multiple players on the team this year. All too often, it appeared as if Rashan Gary, for example, did not give his full effort through plays. Oftentimes, it seemed as if it was Parsons who was the only one giving maximum effort on the defensive line.

And it can’t be that way if Green Bay is going to win a Super Bowl. Of course, the coaches play a big role on any team. But when it comes to effort, to how hard they try, that falls on the players.

And Parsons wants them to try harder.