It’s still hard to believe that Micah Parsons is no longer a Dallas Cowboy. Jerry Jones was dragged through the mud for letting ego stand in the way of paying a generational talent, and the national media only fueled the drama throughout the 2025 season as both sides tried to move on.
The NFL lucked into Parsons returning to Dallas less than two months after the trade, as the Cowboys and Packers met in Week 4 last season, playing to a 40-40 overtime draw in one of the games of the year.
This time, though, the league was deliberate (even if it tried to be subtle), as Dallas heads to Lambeau Field in Week 6 for a Sunday Night Football matchup versus the Cheesheads. It couldn’t be more obvious that the NFL wants Parsons healthy for his second Cowboys reunion.
The Dallas Cowboys will face Micah Parsons once again in 2026
Parsons suffered a torn ACL in December. The typical recovery timeline is 6 to 8 months, putting him right up against the start of the 2026 season. Needing Parsons healthy for the long run, the Packers may start him on the Physically Unable to Perform List (PUP), sidelining him for the first four games.
The league may have thought it was being slick by scheduling Cowboys-Packers in Week 6. By sandwiching Dallas between Green Bay’s rivalry games against the Bears (Week 5) and Lions (Week 7), though, the NFL is practically telling us when Parsons will be back.
That is right around the time Parsons is expected to make his long-awaited return. There is nothing subtle about the timing of those games.
After all, Green Bay has a remarkably soft opening four games. They open on the road against the Vikings and Jets before hosting the Falcons and Buccaneers in Weeks 3 and 4, respectively. Again, not a coincidence.
As two of the biggest brands in the sport, the SNF matchup between Dallas and Green Bay would drive ratings regardless. But it wouldn't hit the same without Parsons. The star pass-rusher's return elevates it to a can't-miss vehicle.
Think about it: Cowboys vs. Packers at Lambeau. Standalone game. Parsons returning from a devastating injury -- possibly for the first time -- against the team that traded him. You can understand why the NFL grabbed the low-hanging fruit. It sells itself.
But there was nothing subtle about slotting the Cowboys between two of the Packers’ biggest rivals. Chicago and Green Bay delivered three highly entertaining games last year, including a 24-22 playoff classic. And yet, it’s Dallas vs. Green Bay that got the primetime slot.
The NFL wouldn’t risk Cowboys-Packers without Parsons. Putting it in Week 6 tells you they know he’ll be ready.
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