- - Packers' Hafley makes big prediction about Parsons while noting how defense can thrive without him

December 18, 2025 at 1:07 AM

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1 / 3Packers Lions FootballGreen Bay Packers defensive lineman Micah Parsons (1) celebrates a sack against the Detroit Lions during the second half an NFL football game in Detroit, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley offered a bold prediction regarding Micah Parsons’ eventual return from the torn anterior cruciate ligament that ended the superstar pass rusher’s season prematurely.

“If I were a betting man, I would bet that he comes back even better and probably breaks the sack record next year,” Hafley said Wednesday.

Hafley also is bullish about the Packers’ chances of continuing to play quality defense even without Parsons, who injured his left knee in the third quarter of the Packers’ 34-26 loss at Denver on Sunday.

The Packers (9-4-1) play their first full game without Parsons this season on Saturday when they visit the Chicago Bears (10-4) with the NFC North lead at stake.

“We’ve got really good players, we’ve played good defense and we’re going to continue to play good defense,” Hafley said. “Our guys understand that, and I think it’s important for everyone to understand that these guys have a lot of pride, and they’re going to get even closer because of this. And they’re going to play well.”

Statistics suggest Green Bay’s defense could struggle without Parsons, who had a team-high 12 ½ sacks.

Although the Packers have allowed the sixth-fewest yards per game (294.6) and eighth-fewest points per game (20.1) of any NFL team, their game at Denver exposed their vulnerability when they’re not applying a consistent pass rush. Denver’s Bo Nix wasn’t sacked as he threw for 302 yards and four touchdowns.

Parsons’ league-high 83 quarterback pressures according to NFL Next Gen Stats were nearly twice the total of any other Packer. Green Bay will need former first-round picks Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness to recapture the form they showed early in the season when they capitalized on all the attention offenses were giving to Parsons.

Gary ranks second on the team with 42 pressures, but all 7 ½ of his sacks this season came in Green Bay’s first seven games.

Van Ness had 1 ½ sacks in Green Bay’s first five games, then missed seven of the Packers’ next eight games with a foot injury. Van Ness returned to play 22 snaps and post two tackles against Denver.

Gary said the Packers plan to play the rest of the season in a way that would impress Parsons.

“The No. 1 thing is, he wants us to turn the page and continue to play ball and get wins,” Gary said.

Green Bay still has many of the key players from a defense that ranked fifth in yards allowed and sixth in points allowed last season. That gives the Packers confidence they can still contain offenses even without Parsons chasing quarterbacks.

The Packers did send three-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Kenny Clark to Dallas in the trade that got them Parsons. They also lost Devonte Wyatt, whose four sacks rank third on the team, to a season-ending ankle injury.

Yet they still have confidence they can continue to thrive without Parsons.

“We’ve still got the pen in our hand,” Gary said. “We can still write our story.”

If the Packers can pick up the slack and make a deep postseason run after losing Parsons, they should feel even better about themselves next year, whenever they get him back. Hafley said he expects the 26-year-old to come back better than ever.

After Hafley talked about the possibility of Parsons breaking the single-season sack record next year, he was asked if he specifically meant the league record. Michael Strahan set that record with 22 ½ in 2001 and T.J. Watt tied that mark 20 years later, though Cleveland’s Myles Garrett currently has 21 ½ with three games left in his season.

Hafley didn’t back down from his faith in Parsons or the rest of his players.

“He’s the type of guy – give Micah adversity and watch what happens,” Hafley said. “Give our defense and give our team adversity, and watch what happens. We’ll find out.”

NOTES: WR Christian Watson practiced on a limited basis Wednesday and expressed confidence he’d be able to play Saturday. Watson left the Broncos game with injuries to his chest and shoulder. “Obviously I’ve got to make sure that they clear me in the medical room and everything and make sure everything’s good,” Watson said. “But I mean, yeah, my goal is just to have a couple good days leading up to the game and hopefully it feels a little bit better each and every day and we’re at the point in the season where you’ve got to fight through some stuff, so should be good.” … RB Josh Jacobs (knee), RT Zach Tom (back/knee), TE Josh Whyle (concussion) and S Evan Williams (knee) didn’t practice. WR Jayden Reed also didn’t practice, due to a personal matter. … Parsons was officially placed on injured reserve.

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Source: “AOL Sports”