Joining a mound of teams that’ve lost elite talent this season, the Green Bay Packers got hit by the Micah Parsons injury in Week 15. The team’s 34-26 loss to the Denver Broncos saw the defensive end exit the game early. The team may still have a high likelihood of making the playoffs, but there’s no doubt they will have to do it without their top defensive player.
The Packers traded two first-round picks and defensive lineman Kenny Clark in August to acquire Parsons. They then awarded him a four-year $188 million contract, with $136 million guaranteed. It was a calculated yet steep move to aid the team in reaching the Super Bowl.
The Parsons injury happened in the third quarter. A growing list of elite talent lost to injury this season came from non-contact incidents. Rushing Broncos’ quarterback Bo Nix, he quickly changed direction at the last moment when the pass was made. This jolt is seemingly the culprit. Green Bay is in tough times after losing a player in the top five for sacks.
Sportsnet reported on post-game comments from Packers’ head coach Matt LaFleur. “We all know what type of player he is and the impact he’s had on our football team. To lose somebody like that, it’s tough. … We’ve got to find a way. Guys have to rally around one another,” said LaFleur. When specifically asked if it was a torn ACL, he replied, “It doesn’t look good. I’ll leave it at that.”
The Packers relinquished the NFC North back to the victorious Chicago Bears on Sunday. After beating the Bears just one week earlier, the two are scheduled for a crucial Week 16 matchup. Green Bay will try to overcome injuries to win back its spot atop the division, but Chicago is hungry to prove its leap into relevancy is genuine.
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