It's the nightmare the Green Bay Packers hoped they'd never have to face.
Not only did they suffer a setback in the NFC North race with a tough loss to the Denver Broncos, but the more concerning issue is Micah Parsons' devastating injury. Reports indicate he tore his ACL late in the game, ending his season.
Parsons' recovery won't just cost him the rest of this year, but it will almost certainly impact the start of training camp and potentially more.
Micah Parsons injury timeline: How much time could he miss with torn ACL?
The tough reality is that there is no exact timetable for an injury like this. Every player's recovery is different, and much depends on whether it's a simple ACL tear or if there's further damage. The Packers will learn more information when Parsons gets the necessary scans.
We can, though, look to other players' recoveries to form a range of potential return dates. Parsons will likely require at least nine months, but of course, some players get back sooner than that, while others need longer.
RELATED: Rashan Gary's heartbreaking reaction to Micah Parsons injury says it all
Christian Watson is the most recent Packers example. He beat expectations in his recovery, returning to action only 294 days after suffering the injury. That's a little under 10 months.
If Parsons matched that exact timeline, his return date would be Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, which would fall around Week 5 next season.
Rashan Gary might be a better comparison as he plays the same position. He suffered a torn ACL in Week 9 of the 2022 season and resumed 11-on-11 work at training camp on August 22, 2023, 289 days after his injury, or about nine-and-a-half months. Gary played in Week 1 and performed well, although the Packers kept him on a snap count until Week 5.
Parsons' exact recovery timetable will depend on several factors, including the severity of the injury and how quickly he can progress through each stage. But it's fair to assume he'll need at least nine months, which would put the earliest return date at around mid-September. Again, though, that's likely on the optimistic side.
It will take some time before we get a clearer picture, but there's a chance Parsons will miss at least the start of the 2026 season.