GREEN BAY, Wis. — Green Bay’s Micah Parsons calls his torn anterior cruciate ligament “the most challenging thing that I think I’ve ever faced as a human.”

But the All-Pro defensive end believes he can recover in time to play early next season.

Speaking to reporters for the first time since his Dec. 14 injury, Parsons said Monday that he hopes to be back for the start of the season, but added that a more realistic goal is “probably like Week 3, Week 4.”

“I wouldn’t wish this on anyone,” Parsons said. “I don’t think people realize how much the knee is. It’s the most challenging thing that I think I’ve ever faced as a human. When you talk about pain, can’t sleep, can’t move around. … I can’t remember the last time I slept through the night. My body’s tired. My mind’s tired. I’m exhausted, man. But it’s going to be worth it once I’m going to be able to move and play again.”

Parsons and tight end Tucker Kraft 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 31-27 wild-card playoff loss 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.

“By the time Week 1 rolls around, I’ll be 10 months post-surgery and hopefully bulletproof by then,” 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’s the first major injury of Parsons’ career. It ended his first season in Green Bay prematurely after the Packers acquired him in an August trade with the Dallas Cowboys.

“I’m not a very vulnerable person and during this period I’ve probably been the most vulnerable I’ve been in the last like, probably my whole life, Parsons said. “I’m telling people how much I need them and appreciate them being there for me.

“Because to be honest, man, you can’t go through this injury by yourself. … Like I can’t shower by myself. I can’t even get off the bed myself. So I couldn’t imagine being alone. So I’m so appreciative of my family being there for me.”

The injuries to Parsons and Kraft left the Packers without two of their best players.

Parsons had 12 ½ sacks this season to earn All-Pro honors despite missing the Packers’ final four games. Kraft had 32 catches for 489 yards and six touchdowns despite playing only eight games.

“I 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,” Kraft said.

Although the Packers were winless after his injury, Parsons said “there was no point in the season where I felt like we weren’t a championship-caliber team.”

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 regular-season finale at Minnesota.

Parsons and Kraft both expressed support for Matt LaFleur as speculation swirled about their coach’s future.

“I think Matt’s an outstanding head coach,” Kraft said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that he’ll remain here as a Packer. I think a lot of that talk is pretty silly.”

Parsons said LaFleur’s 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’s job status.

“You can get spoiled with good coach and good people, and you don’t realize until they’re gone,” Parsons said. “I don’t want to be at that point where we realize like, ‘Damn, we let such a great coach go.’ “

Parsons said players must take accountability regarding the way the season ended.

“There’s a lot of reality checks that us as players need,” Parsons said. “Yeah, 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’m 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.”

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