Not only did the Green Bay Packers lose to the Denver Broncos last weekend, but they lost star pass-rusher Micah Parsons as well. Parsons tore his ACL on a non-contact play and will be out for the rest of the year. The game (and the season) certainly went from bad to worse with that news.
With Parsons now done for the rest of the year, Packers fans might be trying to figure out just how long their star player is going to be out for. Will he be able to return for Week 1 of the 2026 season? Even if he can, former NFL quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III argued that Parsons should not return as soon as possible.
While appearing on The Dan Patrick Show, Griffin was asked what advice he’d give to Parsons (and Patrick Mahomes, who also tore his ACL this past weekend). Packers fans won’t like what Griffin had to say.
“The number one advice I would give to Micah Parsons and Patrick Mahomes right now is to not play next year and it’s because of when they got hurt. They both got hurt in December. You know, you look at these injuries and we’ve seen guys come back in six months, you know, eight months, nine months. And it would be nine months for both of them if they were ready to go Week 1. But you don’t really feel like yourself until about 15 months after the injury… Don’t get me wrong, 80% of Micah Parsons is better than dang near almost every pass rusher in the NFL,” Griffin said.
“We’ve seen Micah say that he’s all in for Week 1 … And it’s because as players, we are wired to have this gladiator mindset that we can overcome anything… I would advise [Parsons and Mahomes] to sit out the following season because of when they got hurt and then you can play for another 10, 15 years once you’re fully back to health.”
Micah Parsons injury sparks grim warning from RG3 about rushing back
Griffin knows what Parsons is going through, having injured his ACL (and LCL) during his rookie season in the playoffs. Griffin was never the same player after that injury, and it sounds like he believes it’s because he rushed coming back. He’s right that Parsons and Mahomes are competitors, though, and if they’re ready to return to the lineup in Week 1 next year, they’re going to do that.
You’re not going to see Parsons voluntarily sit out of football games unless it’s a situation where the Packers have already clinched a playoff spot and can move up or down in the standings. As Griffin said, NFL players have “a gladiator mindset,” and as soon as Parsons gets the all-clear to get back onto the field and help his team compete, he’s going to do it. Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley even thinks Parsons will break the NFL sack record next season.
Still, you can’t blame Griffin for offering this advice. His career drastically changed after his ACL injury and he’s simply offering the advice he wishes he had listened to back then.
