There was a time when former Green Bay Packers star David Bakhtiari was considered one of, if not the, best left tackles in the NFL. From 2016-2020, there were only two left tackles to be named First or Second Team All-Pro in each season. One was current New York Jets lineman Tyron Smith (then with the Dallas Cowboys). The other was Bakhtiari.
At the height of his career, Bakhtiari looked like he was blazing a path to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. The Packers, led by four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, were consistent Super Bowl contenders and their stud left tackle was a big reason why the offense was so successful.
But then the injury happened.
Former Green Bay Packers Star David Bakhtiari Saw His Career Derailed by Knee Injuries
As Packers fans may remember all too well, Green Bay was nearly unstoppable in the 2020 season. They ended up as the top seed in the NFC that year and hosted the NFC Championship Game, only to be defeated by Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
And many fans point to the absence of Bakhtiari in that game as a big reason as to why they lost.
On December 31, 2020, Bakhtiari tore his ACL while participating in a non-contact drill during practice. The injury ended his year and kept him out of the NFL Playoffs. It also kept him out for the entire 2021 season save a few snaps in Green Bay’s final regular season game.
He did not, however, play in their Divisional Round loss to the San Francisco 49ers that year.
The problem, as fans learned later, was that the three-time Pro Bowler required more surgeries after his knee was hurt gain during rehab.
After playing in 11 games in 2022, the Packers and Bakhtiari expected him to be fully healthy in 2023. And he was… for one week.
After dominating the Chicago Bears in Week One, Bakhtiari announced that he had hurt his knee again. This new injury required multiple surgeries. Once again, he was lost for the season.
As fans know all too well, Green Bay released him this past offseason.
Bakhtiari was not signed during the summer, nor has he been signed at any point this season.
But it does not seem like he is giving up on continuing his NFL career.
Former Green Bay Packers Star David Bakhtiari Teases a Potential NFL Comeback
In a video that has since gone viral, the former Packers left tackle proved that he is still in excellent shape and possibly ready to help any NFL team make a late season push for the postseason:
This doesn’t look like a guy who’s ready to sign that one-day contract to retire a Packer pic.twitter.com/V75WdUfSW7
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) November 16, 2024
Whether or not a team is going to want to take a chance on him due to his injury history has yet to be seen. That being said, he can still play on the highest level if healthy and he appears to be in fantastic shape.
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