Micah Parsons suffers likely season-ending ACL injury while Christian Watson hospitalized with chest injury
PublishedDecember 15, 2025 7:39 AM EST•UpdatedDecember 15, 2025 7:39 AM EST
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It wasn’t that the Green Bay Packers lost, or that they dropped out of their lofty playoff seeding, or fell from first place in the NFC North, although all these bad things happened on Sunday. It was the other bad things that left this team reeling.
Diminished.
And just not the team they were when the day began.
DENVER, COLORADO – DECEMBER 14: Micah Parsons #1 of the Green Bay Packers walks off the field with an injury during the third quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High on December 14, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
Micah Parsons Likely Suffers ACL Injury
Micah Parsons is believed by the team to have suffered a season-ending ACL injury in Green Bay’s loss to the Denver Broncos. It’s not just a lamentable injury, but rather a defining injury.
“It hurt to see,” defensive end Rashan Gary said.
“It didn’t look good. I’ll leave it at that,” coach Matt LaFleur told reporters.
“We all know what type of player he is and the impact he’s had on a football team and to lose somebody like that is, I mean, it’s tough. But there’s nobody going to feel sorry for us. We got to find a way, and guys got to rally around one another.”
All that is true. But what is also true is the Packers suddenly go from looking like a Super Bowl contender to looking like a team that will have to scrap and claw to merely get into the postseason.
That’s the difference between having Micah Parsons and not.
Parsons’ first season with the Packers has been a resounding success after they traded two first-round picks plus defensive tackle Kenny Clark to the Dallas Cowboys to acquire him before the season.
DENVER, COLORADO – DECEMBER 14: Pat Surtain II #2 of the Denver Broncos runs after an interception against Christian Watson #9 of the Green Bay Packers during the third quarter at Empower Field At Mile High on December 14, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Christian Watson Also Out
The Packers rewarded Parsons with a $188 million contract, and he rewarded them with 12.5 sacks coming into Sunday’s game.
And, if that were where the casualties ended, perhaps the Packers could somehow rally. But in the same quarter, the Packers also lost wide receiver Christian Watson to what the team called a chest injury.
Watson landed on his left shoulder and that led OutKick medical expert Dr. David Chao to speculate he might have an SC joint injury.
Watson was taken to a hospital for further evaluation and that could have been to make sure it was not displaced, and make sure it wasn’t pressing on vessels in the chest. That would require reducing the injury.
Watson was scheduled to travel back to Green Bay with the team. But he is likely going to miss multiple weeks, per Dr. Chao.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 12: Head coach Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers looks on in the third quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles during the NFC Wild Card Playoff at Lincoln Financial Field on January 12, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Most Dynamic Players Out
So, upon confirmation of these injuries, the Packers will be without their most dynamic offensive and defensive players late this season and won’t have Parsons at all until next season.
“It was also a double whammy for us, just losing some pieces that are critical for our success,” LaFleur said. “But that’s the name of the game. I told the guys nobody’s going to feel sorry for us. We’ve got to rally around one another. Everybody’s going to have to elevate their play.”
Yeah, no.
It sounds heroic. It sounds plausible within the foundation of a 53-man roster.
But the Packers are not getting anyone to elevate to the league-leading 64 quarterback pressures Parsons contributed before his injury.
DENVER, COLORADO – DECEMBER 14: Micah Parsons #1 of the Green Bay Packers is double teamed by Frank Crum #73 and Adam Trautman #82 of the Denver Broncos during the third quarter at Empower Field At Mile High on December 14, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
Packers Playoff Push Weakened
Who else are the Packers putting in there that commands double and sometimes triple-teams from pass protection?
And, yes, the Packers have Matthew Golden who may get more snaps in Watson’s absence. But nobody on that roster scares opposing defenses like Watson does.
Did we mention the Packers also finished the game without right tackle Zach Tom? And safety Evan Williams? Both left with knee injuries.
The end of the NFL season is approaching, and championship teams are trying to gear up for a title run. The team from Titletown is seemingly pointed in the opposite direction.
