Green Bay’s Micah Parsons era starts after ‘super toxic’ offseason, Travis Hunter says he ‘can do more’: Sunday NFL Week 1
By Ben Morse, CNN
(CNN) — The NFL offseason was dominated by talk of where Micah Parsons would be lining up in Week 1.
As one of the most dynamic pass rushers in the NFL, Dallas Cowboys fans were desperate to keep him under a new contract, while fans of other teams wished the 26-year-old would help their franchise reach a new level.
After contract talks with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones broke down in a very public fashion, Parsons was acquired by the Green Bay Packers in a blockbuster trade and promptly given a record-breaking new contract.
Despite injury concerns putting his participation in Week 1 in doubt, Parsons was able to don the famous green and gold as the Packers took on their NFL North rivals, the Detroit Lions.
While he only played 29 of Green Bay’s 65 defensive snaps, Parsons played a key role in the Packers’ 27-13 win over Detroit.
On his very first snap, he was able to put pressure on Lions quarterback Jared Goff which would eventually end up as an interception in the red zone.
In the fourth quarter, Parsons got his first sack since moving north from Texas to Wisconsin, bringing down Goff and being serenaded with loud cheers from the fans inside Lambeau Field.
Just being back on the field brought about relief for Parsons after what he called a “super draining, super toxic” last six months.
“It’s something that I don’t think no player should have to go through … The fact that I was traded a week before the season was really outrageous and rough,” the four-time Pro Bowler told reporters.
Although he had been dealing with injuries in the build-up to the new campaign, Parsons says he could’ve been much better if his offseason had been sorted out sooner.
“It’s something where I could’ve been with these guys getting better and better and we could’ve had probably (an) even more dominant start,” he said.
“These guys embraced me. They believe in my talents. They believed in me and I’m just gonna give these guys everything I have because I know what’s at stake and I know what they gave up for me to be here and I’m going to do what it takes for us to win.”
For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, Parsons is being seen as perhaps the final piece of the puzzle to tip them over the edge.
And seeing Parsons for the first time in action was a sight to behold, even for his new head coach, Matt LaFleur.
“It looked like the speed of light or a shooting star just coming out of the sky and closing ground fast. I mean, that’s why he’s here, right? I mean, that was really exciting to see,” LaFleur told reporters.
“I definitely know that our crowd reacted the right way as well. I mean, I don’t know if I’ve heard our crowd much louder than when they introduced him and certainly on that sack.”
More to come
One of the big questions heading into Week 1 was how two-way sensation Travis Hunter would be deployed by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Hunter, who was drafted with the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Colorado, has spent much of the preseason learning both the offensive and defensive playbooks – his ability on both sides of the ball was a key reason why he won last season’s Heisman Trophy.
But in Week 1 as the Jaguars took on the Carolina Panthers, it was mainly on offense where Hunter was utilized.
The 22-year-old played 44 of Jacksonville’s 63 snaps on offense as a wide receiver and featured in just six defensive snaps as a cornerback.
Hunter finished with six receptions for 33 yards in the Jags’ 26-10 victory over the Panthers and says he’s got plenty of room for improvement going forward.
“I did my job,” Hunter told reporters afterwards. “That was the main focus. I did what they asked me to do. I know I can do more and I know I can do better.”
Hunter’s game might’ve looked a whole lot different when a fourth-quarter pass from quarterback Trevor Lawrence seemed to be sailing his way for a touchdown, but Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn made a miraculous one-handed interception to deny the rookie.
While he had a limited impact on his NFL debut, his overall performance was praised by teammates and coaches afterwards.
“He was great. Had some big catches, obviously,” Lawrence said. “He’s a weapon for us, and he’s going to continue to get better and better.
“He’s a matchup in space, great with the ball in his hands. Could have more out there. I felt like I could have gave him a few more opportunities with some of the ones I missed.”
Jags head coach Liam Coen explained afterwards that Hunter had missed defensive practice over the last 10 days of preseason action with an injury, meaning he was absent for key meetings where the defense was implementing unique coverage schemes for the game against the Panthers.
“It was maybe a little bit less for him this game,” Coen said. “I think it will only continue to evolve and go more. … I can only see it going and expanding from here.”
Hunter arrived for the game with a different look having cut his dreadlocks and choosing a buzzcut instead, something he puts down to a new start in his life.
“It was just time. Time to let it go. New me, new person. Welcome to a new chapter in my life. Just chop it off,” he said.
New location, same result, making history
It is the start of a new era in Las Vegas with Super Bowl winner Pete Carroll being tasked with ushering in success for the Raiders.
And things started perfectly for the 73-year-old, winning his opening game as head coach for the silver and black against the New England Patriots, 20-13.
In doing so, Carroll improved to 4-0 in his debuts with new teams meaning he makes history as the most wins in coaching debuts in NFL history. Previously, Carroll had won his first games with the New York Jets, the Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks, with whom he won Super Bowl XLVIII.
Additionally, Carroll – who turns 74 on September 15 – is now the oldest coach in league history.
The former Seahawks head coach wasn’t the only new face from Seattle in Las Vegas to make history on Sunday.
New quarterback Geno Smith, who joined from the Seahawks in the offseason, threw for 362 yards against the Patriots, passing Dan Pastorini for the most passing yards in a Raiders debut. Pastorini had thrown for 317 in Week 1 in 1980.
Full Week 1 Sunday results
Winners in bold (Home vs. away)
Atlanta Falcons 20-23 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Cleveland Browns 16-17 Cincinnati Bengals
Indianapolis Colts 33-8 Miami Dolphins
Jacksonville Jaguars 26-10 Carolina Panthers
New England Patriots 13-20 Las Vegas Raiders
New Orleans Saints 13-20 Arizona Cardinals
New York Jets 32-34 Pittsburgh Steelers
Washington Commanders 21-6 New York Giants
Denver Broncos 20-12 Tennessee Titans
Seattle Seahawks 13-17 San Francisco 49ers
Green Bay Packers 27-13 Detroit Lions
Los Angeles Rams 14-9 Houston Texans
Buffalo Bills 41-40 Baltimore Ravens
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