Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has set some big expectations for Micah Parsons. He has predicted the star defensive end will break the sack record upon returning from a significant injury.
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Parsons tore his ACL during the Dec. 14 loss to the Broncos. The veteran defender doesn't know exactly when he will return, but he has circled September as his target. Even if Parsons misses more time than planned, that will do little to limit Hafley's faith in his abilities.
"I'm sad for the guy, but at the same time, just knowing who he is, just wait until you guys see how hard he works to come back," Hafley said, per The Athletic's Matt Schneidman. "How fast he probably comes back. Somehow, I probably...
"If I were a betting man, I would bet that he comes back even better and probably breaks the sack record next year. So I'm going to put that on Micah and myself, and you guys can put it out there. And that's the confidence I have in him."
Parsons, a former first-round pick from the 2021 NFL Draft, has delivered significant production throughout his NFL career. He has posted double-digit sacks in every season, including at least 12 in the last two seasons while missing time due to injuries.
The former Penn State defender spent four seasons with the Cowboys and posted a career-high 14 sacks in 2023. He then joined the Packers via trade ahead of the 2025 season and posted four multi-sack games before tearing his ACL. This included a season-high three sacks against the Cardinals on Oct. 19.
Parsons has not yet come close to the record of 22.5 sacks in a single season (Michael Strahan in 2001 and TJ Watt in 2021), but Hafley fully believes he will chase down this mark upon his return. Although this might not be the record in 2026.
Browns defender Myles Garrett has 21.5 sacks through 14 games this season. He only needs one sack in the next three games to tie the record. He can break the record with 1.5 sacks. If Garrett goes out and sets a new milestone, Parsons will have a harder time making Hafley's prediction come true.
