GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) 鈥� Green Bay鈥檚 Micah Parsons calls his torn anterior cruciate ligament 鈥渢he most challenging thing that I think I鈥檝e ever faced as a human.”
But the defensive end believes he can recover in time to play early next season.
Speaking to reporters for the first time since his Parsons said Monday that he hopes to be back for the start of the season, but added that a more realistic goal is 鈥減robably like Week 3, Week 4.鈥�
鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 wish this on anyone,鈥� Parsons said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think people realize how much the knee is. It鈥檚 the most challenging thing that I think I鈥檝e ever faced as a human. When you talk about pain, can鈥檛 sleep, can鈥檛 move around. 鈥� I can鈥檛 remember the last time I slept through the night. My body鈥檚 tired. My mind鈥檚 tired. I鈥檓 exhausted, man. But it鈥檚 going to be worth it once I鈥檓 going to be able to move and play again.鈥�
Parsons and tight end both discussed their recoveries from torn ACLs as the Packers packed up their lockers two days after blowing a 15-point, fourth-quarter lead in a at Chicago.
Kraft, who tore his right ACL on Nov. 2, compared this injury to the torn pectoral muscle that caused him to spend part of the 2024 preseason on the physically unable to perform list. Kraft returned in time to play all 17 games that season.
鈥淏y the time Week 1 rolls around, I鈥檒l be 10 months post-surgery and hopefully bulletproof by then,鈥� Kraft said.
The Packers were leading the Denver Broncos in the second half when Parsons hurt his left knee, knocking him out for the rest of this season. They didn’t win again, losing their last five games.
It鈥檚 the first major injury of Parsons鈥� career. It ended his first season in Green Bay prematurely after the in an August trade with the Dallas Cowboys.
鈥淚鈥檓 not a very vulnerable person and during this period I鈥檝e probably been the most vulnerable I鈥檝e been in the last like, probably my whole life, Parsons said. 鈥淚鈥檓 telling people how much I need them and appreciate them being there for me.
“Because to be honest, man, you can鈥檛 go through this injury by yourself. 鈥� Like I can鈥檛 shower by myself. I can鈥檛 even get off the bed myself. So I couldn鈥檛 imagine being alone. So I鈥檓 so appreciative of my family being there for me.鈥�
The injuries to Parsons and Kraft left the Packers without two of their best players.
Parsons had this season to earn All-Pro honors despite missing the Packers鈥� final four games. Kraft had 32 catches for 489 yards and six touchdowns despite playing only eight games.
鈥淚 was on the cusp of putting together one of the greatest seasons by a Packer tight end, and that was something I was looking forward to, just leaving my legacy on this game and playing as hard as I could every snap for the for this team, because the end of the day, the guys in this room, they mean so much to me,鈥� Kraft said.
Although the Packers were winless after his injury, Parsons said 鈥渢here was no point in the season where I felt like we weren鈥檛 a championship-caliber team.鈥�
The Packers led by at least nine points after halftime in three of their five losses to end the season. Another loss came when the Packers rested their starters in the at Minnesota.
Parsons and Kraft both expressed support for as speculation swirled about their
鈥淚 think Matt鈥檚 an outstanding head coach,鈥� Kraft said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no doubt in my mind that he鈥檒l remain here as a Packer. I think a lot of that talk is pretty silly.鈥�
Parsons said LaFleur鈥檚 presence was part of the reason he wanted to come to Green Bay. Parsons said he mentioned that to LaFleur after seeing questions about the coach鈥檚 job status.
鈥淵ou can get spoiled with good coach and good people, and you don鈥檛 realize until they鈥檙e gone,鈥� Parsons said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to be at that point where we realize like, 鈥楧amn, we let such a great coach go.鈥� 鈥�
Parsons said players must take accountability regarding the way the season ended.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of reality checks that us as players need,鈥� Parsons said. 鈥淵eah, I think as fans and people I see the same things you see. People want to look at the play-calling and people want to look that, but I鈥檓 looking at the effort of the guys. I look at the how guys are playing. Are we blocking? Are we getting blocks? Are we attacking? Those are the things us players we can control. And I think more people need to realize that.鈥�
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