Packers make telling decision about Micah Parsons' injury return

Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Packers make telling decision about Micah Parsons' injury return

By Ernesto Cova | Last updated Sep 22, 2026 5:55 PM ET

Green Bay Packers star defensive end Micah Parsons has been vocal and open about his recovery from injury.

While he's targeting Week 6 as a potential debut date, he's also made it loud and clear that he will only take the field once he feels like he can be himself again.

Given the new PUP rules, the Packers could've opened his 21-day practice window as early as Monday, right after their Week 2 win over the New York Jets.

However, as Packers cap analyst Ken Ingalls reported, that wasn't the case ahead of Week 3 vs. the Atlanta Falcons.

Micah Parsons may not practice this week

"Worth noting - none of the 3 players on PUP have been added to the injury report, which means they have not opened their 'return to practice' windows," Ingalls shared on X. "Micah Parsons was the most-talked about of the group as potentially returning after week 2, but so far it's a no-go."

Worth noting - none of the 3 players on PUP have been added to the injury report, which means they have not opened their "return to practice" windows.

Micah Parsons was the most-talked about of the group as potentially returning after week 2, but so far it's a no-go.
— Ken - Packers Cap (@KenIngalls) September 22, 2026

With the new rules, Parsons wouldn't have to wait until after Week 4 to begin practicing.

He could've had a bit over a month to ramp things up and get up to speed before the Week 6 matchup vs. the Dallas Cowboys, but the fact that he's still nowhere to be found signals that he might not be that far along in his recovery process yet.

Of course, this doesn't mean he suffered a setback or that he may not be ready for his presumed return date, but it's definitely not encouraging, either.

Packers fans will continue to monitor Parsons' situation after every game, but they won't rush things with the former Dallas Cowboys superstar.

They need him healthy for the playoffs, and they have bigger problems than his absence after Zach Bako-Bewele's season-ending injury.

Even so, the game is always better when the best players are available, and the league certainly misses one of its most disruptive and energetic defensive forces.

Ernesto Cova

Ernesto is a bilingual (English-Spanish) sports writer with over eight years of experience covering major leagues such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB. Ernesto’s work focuses on providing insightful, up-to-date coverage of sports, blending his expertise in sports psychology with a passion for analyzing player performance, team dynamics, and trade developments across various sports leagues

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