Whereas Micah Parsons‘ season-ending knee damage is a catastrophic blow for the Inexperienced Bay Packers, defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley feels that brighter days are forward for each Inexperienced Bay and its proficient cross rusher.
In actual fact, Hafley made a really daring proclamation Wednesday, predicting that the 2026 season will likely be a historic one for Parsons, who previous to his damage turned the primary participant in NFL historical past to document not less than 12.5 sacks in every of his first 5 seasons.
“If I have been a betting man, I’d wager that he comes again even higher and doubtless breaks the sack document subsequent 12 months,” Hafley instructed reporters Wednesday. “So I’ll put that on Micah and myself. You guys can put it on the market, and that is the boldness I’ve in him.”
The one-season sack document of twenty-two.5 is presently held by Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt — however doubtlessly not for lengthy. Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett is only one sack away from tying the document this season and has three video games left to interrupt it. Garrett stated his objective is to complete the season with 25 sacks, so Parsons goes to have his arms full to show his defensive coordinator proper.
Micah Parsons to have ACL surgical procedure: How Inexperienced Bay will attempt to substitute star cross rusher
JP Acosta
File apart, it is clear that Parsons has made a rapid impression on Hafley after he was traded from the Dallas Cowboys simply previous to the beginning of the season. Parsons has made an affect on the sphere as properly with Inexperienced Bay’s protection presently rating eighth within the NFL in factors allowed.
In 14 video games, Parsons put up 12.5 sacks, two pressured fumbles, 12 tackles for loss and 26 quarterback hits. Throughout a current three-game span, Parsons tallied six sacks as Inexperienced Bay gained every recreation after an underwhelming 5-3-1 begin.
“He is a man that got here in right here, actually, like three days earlier than we performed a recreation,” Hafley stated. “Rapidly developed a extremely good relationship with him. … I simply have a lot respect for the man.”
Whereas Hafley has excessive hopes for Parsons in 2026, he’s additionally assured that his protection can proceed to have success this season, beginning with Sunday’s pivotal street recreation in opposition to the Chicago Bears — a matchup with main playoff implications.
“We have actually good gamers. We have performed good protection and we will proceed to play good protection,” Hafley stated. “Our guys perceive that and I believe it is vital for everybody to know that these guys have quite a lot of delight and they are going to get even nearer due to this. And they are going to play properly.
“Our greatest gamers are going to step up. And the blokes who have not performed loads, that is been our job all 12 months is to develop these guys so in conditions like this, they are going to step up. We’ll play exhausting and we will coach exhausting and we will do all the things we will to win. That is my tackle all this. That is press on, full pace forward and we’re able to go.”
