Micah Parsons will not play today when the Green Bay Packers face the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season. The superstar pass rusher is still recovering from the serious left knee injury he suffered last December and is not yet ready to make his return to the field.
Parsons tore the ACL and meniscus in his left knee during a Week 15 matchup against the Denver Broncos in December 2025. The injury ended his season and forced him into a lengthy rehabilitation process, with the Packers taking a cautious approach as they wait for their defensive centerpiece to fully recover.
Green Bay placed Parsons on the reserve/PUP list before the start of the regular season, meaning he is unavailable for the opening portion of the schedule. His absence is a major blow for the Packers’ defense, particularly against a Vikings offense that will not have to deal with one of the NFL’s most disruptive pass rushers in Week 1.
When will Micah Parsons return from injury with Packers?
Micah Parsons will miss at least the first four games of the season because of his placement on the reserve/PUP list. The earliest possible return would therefore come in Week 5, but the Packers have been careful not to put unnecessary pressure on his recovery after such a significant knee injury.
The more realistic target has been a return around mid-October. Parsons previously indicated that his recovery timeline pointed toward that period, and recent updates have continued to suggest that October is the key window for his comeback. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst has also indicated that the team expects to have a much better idea of Parsons’ readiness once the initial four-game window is over.
That could put Parsons in position to return around Week 5 or shortly afterward, depending on how his knee responds as he advances through rehabilitation. For now, though, the Packers will have to move forward without their biggest defensive star, knowing that rushing him back would make little sense when the ultimate goal is to have Parsons healthy for the most important part of the season.
