Micah Parsons has a successful debut with the Packers while dealing with a back issue

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GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Micah Parsons moved past the frustrations from his long contract stalemate with the Dallas Cowboys by producing a successful debut performance with his new team.

Parsons had one of Green Bay's four sacks in a 27-13 victory over Detroit on Sunday as the Packers kept the Lions out of the end zone until the final minute of the game. Parsons was dealing with a back issue all summer and didn't join the Packers until just over a week ago, but the star edge rusher still found a way to make an impact.

“These guys embraced me,” Parsons said of his new team. “They believe in my talents, they believed in me, and I’m just going to give these guys everything I have because I know what’s at stake, I know what they gave up for me to be here, and I’m going to do what it takes for us to win.”

Green Bay sent its 2026 and 2027 first-round picks as well as three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark to Dallas for Parsons. The Packers gave Parsons a four-year, $188 million contract with $136 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in league history.

Parsons had been limited in practice all week, was listed as questionable and ended up playing less than half of the Packers' defensive snaps. But he still had a major role in the outcome.

With the Lions facing third-and-7 from the Green Bay 16-yard line late in the second quarter, Parsons pressured Jared Goff, who threw a pass that Evan Williams intercepted. Parsons also delivered a sack in the fourth quarter.

Parsons' teammates said his presence made things easier for all of them.

“When he steps on the field, you can see the change in the offense, how they want to block," defensive lineman Rashan Gary said. “You see guys look at him and then look down, things like that. When you see offensive linemen or offensive players do that, it gives you a sense of confidence as a defensive lineman or a defense, period.”

Parsons, 26, was available for trade offers because of his contract dispute with the Cowboys. He had 52 1/2 sacks in his four seasons with Dallas and had at least 12 sacks each of those years. He was an All-Pro selection in 2021 and 2022, and he was a second-team All-Pro in 2023.

During his introductory news conference, Parsons said the time leading up to the trade had “probably been the hardest four months of my life.”

“It’s something that I don’t think no player should have to go through," Parsons said. "I think players’ fates should be decided earlier. The fact I was traded before the season was really outrageous and rough. It’s something where I could have been with these guys getting better and better, and we could have had probably an even more dominant start.”

Parsons is still adjusting to his new surroundings. That much was apparent during pregame warmups.

“When I got out there, I was like, I kind of went over to where the Cowboys used to go, the far right end zone, that’s where the D-line went,” Parsons said. “And they were just like, ‘You’re on the wrong side,’ so I had to run to the other side. So I definitely was lost, no one told me, but it’s one of them new place, new type of things.”

The Packers introduced their defense before the game. Parsons' name was the last one called, and he received a hearty ovation.

Parsons then showed exactly why the Packers paid such a steep price to acquire him.

He believes the best is yet to come.

“That's the scary part,” Parsons said. “I’m not going to tell you what I need to fix. I just know mentally I can be more dominant, I can turn things around and just create more havoc.”

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