Packers Star Micah Parsons Discusses ‘Beauty And Reward’ of ACL Comeback

Green Bay Packers defensive star shed some light on his comeback from last year’s torn ACL.

Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons walks off the field with help from medical personnel following his knee injury. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

You’ve got to walk before you can run, and that’s exactly where Micah Parsons is in his comeback from a torn ACL.

“Man, it really just depends, it really just depends,” Parsons told The Action Network’s DJ Siddiqi of his timetable. “I had a pretty severe injury, it just depends on how each phase goes for me. But I would say, I do feel as if I’m ahead or on track to be there earlier in the season. It’s just hard to really pinpoint where or how each phase is going to go.

“The first three months went good, but I got to learn how to run again soon. I just finished learning how to walk again, so it’s just one of those things.”

Acquired just before the start of last season for two first-round picks and Kenny Clark, Parsons was having a blockbuster debut season for the Packers. Even while integrated relatively slowly into the lineup, Parsons had 12.5 sacks in 14 games before sustaining the knee injury at Denver.

The Packers didn’t win another game the rest of the season.

Before the injury, the Packers were in position to win the NFC North. Instead, including the loss to the Broncos and a playoff loss to the Bears, the Packers went 0-5 without him.

Green Bay’s season ended with an epic playoff collapse at Chicago. “I believe so,” Parsons said when asked if the Packers would have won the game if he were healthy.

“I won when I was in Green Bay, so I don’t see why I can’t pull out another one out of two of those games,” he said. “Besides I always have a rule that if my quarterback puts up 21 points, you’re probably going to win the football game.”

Even while missing the end of the season, Parsons was first-team All-Pro, anyway. He “100 percent” wants to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year; he has the fourth-shortest odds at FanDuel Sportsbook, with Myles Garrett the favorite to win the award again.

Before he can be mentioned in that kind of talk, Parsons has to start running. And start practicing. It’s not simply about returning to the field but returning to peak form.

It’s a long road, and he’s “about exactly where I should be” on that path.

“There’s always that factor that I think that’s kind of where the abilities are in place, because it’s like I got to get back to the field. That’s hard," Parsons said. "And then I got to get back to performing at a high level. You got to know what that looks like, what it feels like, and from where I’m at right now, I got to see how that is. That’s the humility aspect. But, of course, that’s what you want.”

It’s been an eventful offseason. Green Bay has a new defensive coordinator, with Jonathan Gannon replacing new Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley. There are new teammates, too, including at defensive end with the trade of Rashan Gary and the selection of fellow Penn State star Dani Dennis-Sutton.

Offseason workouts began last week, and three weeks of OTAs will begin on May 26. Parsons won’t be on the field, though. He’s got a lot of work to do before he’ll be cleared for practice and games.

That part can be challenging and frustrating.

“You know you’re not where you want to be, you’re missing out on a lot of fun," Parsons said. “Your mind is other places. You want to be other places doing what everyone else is doing. But I think there’s a beauty and a reward in the process of it, so I guess it just depends on how you look at it.

“If you look at it like, ‘Damn, I’m missing out.’ It sucks. Learning how to walk again, learning how to get through the pain and the trials and tribulations, then, yeah, it probably is detrimental in your mental. But as you’re looking through the pain of it, I’m going to be better. I want to keep getting better. I know this reward is going to be so worth it in the end. You just stack days, it kind of gets very beautiful, because you’re recognizing your progression a little bit more.”

Parsons is third in the Comeback Player of the Year odds at FanDuel behind Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and new Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray. Mahomes is tied for fifth in MVP odds; Packers quarterback Jordan Love is ninth.

Here’s the full story, including his thoughts on Jonathan Gannon.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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