Micah Parsons doesn’t want to rush his comeback after tearing his ACL. To that end, the pass rusher is following a rule that will cost him several games this season.

Micah Parsons must be patient following his ACL tear. The Green Bay Packers defensive star is well aware of this. And he made that clear in a conversation with reporters, as reported by “NFL.com”.

“We have a pretty strict nine-month rule here. It simply comes down to the fact—based on research and data—that there are no positive outcomes when players return too soon after a cruciate ligament tear,” explained the pass rusher. He also mentioned that, in his case, additional issues with his knee needed to be addressed.

This is because Parsons also underwent meniscus surgery. Although he had torn his ACL as early as mid-December, the surgery wasn’t performed until December 29. Given the Packers’ policy, a comeback wouldn’t be expected until October—specifically, mid-month.

“NFL.com” cites the division showdown against the Chicago Bears on October 11 or the no less explosive matchup with the Dallas Cowboys a week later—that is, his former team. While with the Texans, Parsons had unsuccessfully pushed for a mega-contract and was then traded to the Packers shortly before the start of the season.

There, he immediately made an impact, rose to become the leader of the defense, and racked up 12.5 sacks in 14 games, among other achievements. Looking back, he says: “It’s not just hard to accept that I’ll be out longer than hoped, but the injury itself is hard to accept.” This keeps running through his mind, and he still hasn’t come to terms with it, but he’s doing everything he can to emerge from this situation stronger.

Parsons’ comeback: On the treadmill for two weeks

He will most likely start the season on the PUP list, which means Parsons could be sidelined for the first four games. However, the 27-year-old feels he is right on track: “On May 29, I completed my fifth month, and I’m extremely happy with how far I’ve come and how things are progressing. But obviously, I still have four months ahead of me.” He’s been training on the treadmill for two weeks now and making progress.

But he doesn’t want to rush anything so he can have a long career. And of course, Parsons also knows when it really counts during a season. Not in late summer or fall—but in winter, during the hottest weeks of the NFL year.

“My goal is to finish the season—without a setback—play in the playoffs, and work toward the championship,” the pass rusher emphasizes: “It’s not my goal to go out there and get injured again by trying to force my return for the first few games. The goal has always been the playoffs, and I think we’re all on the same page there.”

After all, the Packers’ recent postseason record leaves room for improvement. Since 2021, “The Pack” has made the playoffs four times but won only one game. However, Parsons wasn’t even on the team during any of those unsuccessful attempts at a fifth Super Bowl-era championship.