Typically, the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears are genuinely hoping for the worst for the other team.
The NFC North division foes have one of the more bitter rivalries in the NFL, and it’s no surprise they’re usually actively rooting against one another.
But when an injury is involved, that changes things.
That’s exactly what happened on Sunday when Packers pass-rusher Micah Parsons left in the second half of Sunday’s 34-26 loss to the Denver Broncos after going down with a non-contact injury.
While it’s not known the severity of Parson’s injury, it’s believed he suffered a torn ACL. Head coach Matt LaFleur indicated after the game that the team is fearing the worst.
“It doesn’t look good,” LaFleur told reporters. “So. I will leave it at that.”
Bears QB Caleb Williams Praying for Parsons
GettyChicago Bears QB Caleb Williams and Green Bay Packers DE Micah Parsons
While the Bears (10-4) are locked in a neck-and-neck race with the Packers (9-4-1) for the NFC North division title — Chicago moved into sole possession of first place with a 31-3 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday — that doesn’t mean any of them were happy to see what happened to Parsons.
Shortly after the injury happened, Bears star quarterback Caleb Williams made it known he was praying for Parsons after seeing what happened.
“Micah Parsons injured. Prayers up 🙏🏽,” @BearsShowYo wrote on X, which Williams retweeted on his X account.
Green Bay and Chicago are set to face one another next week in a crucial game that could decide the division winner.
During their first meeting two weeks ago, the Packers took a 28-21 win at Lambeau Field. Williams threw for 186 yards, 2 touchdowns, and an interception while Parsons logged 7 pressures, 5 hurries, 2 QB hits, and 1 tackle with a 9.7% pass-rush win-rate, according to Pro Football Focus.
Parsons’ Prognosis Doesn’t Look Good
While nothing will be confirmed until Parsons’ MRI results come back, the team believes the star defensive end tore his ACL, according to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk.
“A league source tells PFT that the Packers believe Parsons suffered a torn ACL,” Alper wrote. “An MRI will be done to confirm that diagnosis. If the diagnosis is confirmed, Parsons will miss the rest of the season and have surgery to repair the injury.
“The hope would be for him to be back early in the 2026 season, but there’s a lot of steps that need to be taken before anyone will be ready to talk about return dates.”
Parsons had a productive first 14 games for the Packers, totaling 74 pressures, 46 hurries, 41 tackles, 14 QB hits, 12.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, a pass defensed, and a 23.15 pass-rush win-rate, according to PFF.
Entering Week 14, he ranked second in sacks to Cleveland’s Myles Garrett, third in pressures, fifth in hurries, and sixth in QB hits among all edge-rushers this season. Without Parsons, the pass-rush onus falls on fellow defensive end Rashan Gary (7.5 sacks) and defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt (4 sacks) to get to the quarterback.
“It’s obviously tough,” LaFleur added. “We all know what kind of player he is, and the impact he’s had on our football team. To lose someone like that, it’s tough. But no one is going to feel sorry for us. We need to find a way. Guys have to rally around each other.”
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