Major update on if Packers' Micah Parsons could play vs. Cowboys emerges

Before the 2026 season got underway, Green Bay Packers star pass-rusher Micah Parsons made it known that he wanted to be in the lineup for the Packers' Week 6 game against the Dallas Cowboys, his former club, on Oct. 18. 

It now sounds like Parsons won't get his wish for the upcoming "Sunday Night Football" showdown. 

Packers "anticipating" this regarding Micah Parsons' availability for Cowboys game

On Monday afternoon, NFL insider Adam Schefter of ESPN shared that the Packers "are not anticipating" Parsons will return to practice ahead of the matchup versus the Cowboys. Parsons has thus far spent the campaign on the physically unable to perform list amid his ongoing recovery from the torn ACL he suffered last December. 

Parsons spent much of the summer of 2025 in an ugly contract dispute with Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones. In August of that year, Dallas traded Parsons to Green Bay, and he received a four-year, $188M deal that included $136M guaranteed from the Packers. 

Parsons led the Packers last season with 12.5 sacks that he recorded over 14 games before he went down with his injury. 

While Monday's update essentially eliminates what could have been an interesting storyline regarding the Week 6 prime-time game, it shouldn't be ignored that the Green Bay defense could use a contributor such as Parsons on the field against the high-powered Dallas offense. ESPN stats show that the Cowboys began Monday ranked seventh in the league with 27.6 points scored per game this season. 

When could Micah Parsons make his season debut? 

Back on Oct. 3, NFL insider Tom Pelissero of The Ringer and Netflix reported that Parsons may not be ready to return to in-game action until some point in November. According to Schefter, the Packers have "hope" that Parsons will be able to return "sometime this month." 

After Week 6, Green Bay will play at the Detroit Lions on Oct. 25 before the Packers host the Carolina Panthers for a "Thursday Night Football" game on Oct. 29. 

Shortly after the Schefter story went public, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the 3-2 Packers as 1.5-point home favorites over the 2-3 Cowboys.