Packers Fear Torn ACL For Edge Rusher Micah Parsons

Stars are falling on both sides of the ball this evening. Shortly following news of an identical injury to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Packers fear star pass rusher Micah Parsons has suffered a torn ACL. Parson will undergo further testing with the team in order to confirm the diagnosis.

While Parsons and Mahomes both suffered the injury on their left knee, Parsons’ came without contact as he collapsed in the midst of a pass rush and went down holding his knee. Green Bay ruled him out shortly after, and in the postgame proceedings, head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters, “It doesn’t look good, I’ll leave it at that,” per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

It’s been a frustrating year for Parsons. Following last year’s Super Bowl and the waning days of the 2024 season, as soon as the calendar changed months, Parsons began negotiating with the Cowboys for a long-term extension. What followed was a novel’s worth of updates, how the two sides were far apart, how the team hadn’t even submitted an offer yet, how Parsons was asking for big money, and how the Cowboys were willing to make him the highest-paid non-quarterback.

Things got serious when Organized Team Activities took place without Parsons in attendance, indicating that Parsons’ negotiations were set to follow in the difficult footsteps of former teammates CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott. Parsons eased tensions by returning for minicamp as negotiations continued, but things soured when Parsons felt he had been cornered to negotiate without his agent. Negotiations started going in the wrong direction and Parsons requested a trade from Dallas.

After a good amount of tumult, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys finally caved, trading Parsons to Green Bay just a week and a half before the start of the regular season. The trade came along with a four-year, $188MM extension, providing Parsons with the raise he desired. In return, Parsons has given the team his usual brilliance. In just 14 games, Parsons continued his streak of seasons with at least 12 sacks, something he’s done in all five years of his career. With three games left to go, he even had a chance to challenge his career high sack number of 14.0.

Before Parsons’ arrival, the Packers defense was no liability. The 2024 unit ranked sixth in points allowed and fifth in yards allowed behind a seventh-ranked rush defense and 13th-best pass defense. With Parsons in tow, the defense once again ranks sixth in points allowed and fifth in yards allowed. This time, though, Parsons has helped the pass defense improve to seventh in the NFL with an eighth ranked run defense.

 

Breaking news, refresh for updated information…

View Comments (19)