Packers' Zach Bako-Bewele expects
to miss rest of the season after tearing his patellar tendon
[September 23, 2026]
By STEVE MEGARGEE
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Zach
Bako-Bewele has a torn patellar tendon and expects to miss the rest
of the season.
Bako-Bewele, who changed his name from Zach Tom before the season,
hurt his right knee in the first quarter of the Packers’ 20-17
overtime road victory over the New York Jets on Sunday. The
27-year-old right tackle said he is planning to undergo surgery
Thursday and that he believes the recovery should take about nine
months.
“It’s definitely not what I anticipated happening, but you’ve just
got to get back to work and then start thinking about next year,”
Bako-Bewele said Tuesday.
Packers receiver Jayden Reed and Bako-Bewele were carted off the
field after consecutive plays during Green Bay’s opening series.
Reed remained in a New Jersey hospital overnight for observation
rather than traveling back home with the team after suffering what
the Packers described as a neck injury.
Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said Tuesday that Reed had returned to
Green Bay and was going through testing and consulting with doctors.
LaFleur added that Reed was in good spirits when they spoke after
the game.
LaFleur said it's too early to tell whether Reed might play again
this season.
“He’s just got a lot, I mean, there’s a lot going on," LaFleur said.
Bako-Bewele was blocking David Bailey during a third down
incompletion when the injury occurred. Bako-Bewele said he wasn’t
sure exactly what caused the injury, but he knew right away that
something was wrong.
“I mean, I don’t think the turf helped,” Bako-Bewele said. “Yeah, I
don’t know. Just something that happened, so I’ve just got to move
forward.”
Bako-Bewele had partially torn his patellar tendon in the same knee
during a Dec. 14 loss at Denver and missed the rest of the 2025
season. The injury occurred during the same game in which Packers
All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons tore his anterior cruciate
ligament.
Bako-Bewele said this latest injury is a complete tear.
“We see him working, grinding in here long hours just for the chance
to come back to play with us, and to go down like that, that’s
terrible,” center Sean Rhyan said.
When he’s healthy, Bako-Bewele perhaps is the Packers’ best
offensive lineman. The 2022 fourth-round pick from Wake Forest has
made 53 starts, including 48 over the past four seasons.
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Green Bay Packers guard Zach Bako-Bewele (50) is taken off the field
following an injury during an NFL football game against the New York
Jets in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP
Photo/Adam Hunger)
Anthony Belton took over for Bako-Bewele at right
tackle during the Jets game. Belton started six games at right guard
and one at right tackle as a rookie last season, but he primarily
worked at tackle during training camp this year.
“I didn't want to say that we knew this would happen, but just in
case,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said. “Unfortunately, it
did happen, and (Belton) stepped in and did a nice job. Expecting
him to just anchor down the right side and do a great job.”
Belton appeared on the Packers' injury report with an elbow issue
Tuesday, but LaFleur expressed confidence that the 2025 second-round
pick from NC State would be available for the Packers' Thursday
night home opener with the Atlanta Falcons (0-2).
Bako-Bewele might not be the Packers' only starting offensive
lineman missing Thursday night. Left guard Aaron Banks, who missed
the Packers’ season-opening loss at Minnesota because of a knee
issue, started Sunday’s game but left in the first half with a toe
injury.
LaFleur addressed Banks' status for Thursday by saying that “we'll
give it up to gametime.”
Green Bay (1-1) has allowed seven sacks over its first two games.
The Packers also rank last in the NFL in yards rushing per game
(64.5) and 29th in yards per carry (3.3).
Now the Packers are dealing with more upheaval on their offensive
line.
“It's just like putting a puzzle together, but that’s the
situation,” LaFleur said. “And we’ve got to do the best that we can
to go out there and play winning football. Nobody cares about the
circumstances. It is a circumstance, and you got to work around it.”
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