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Packers’ Zach Tom changes last name to honor family
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Green Bay Packers right tackle Zach Tom will take the field under a new name in 2026 after officially changing his last name to Bako-Bewele, a tribute to his family's Nigerian heritage. The change has already been reflected on the Packers' official website and inside the team's locker room, with the offensive lineman also confirming the decision himself on Sunday.
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"I want to have a name, especially when I started having kids and stuff, that I can pass down where it represents where they came from, where I came from," Zach said, explaining the switch . "I just feel like that people will see that name and have a good understanding of who I am."
Bako is the last name of his father's mother, while Bewele is the last name of his father's father.
Originally named Zachary Miskom Tom by his parents, Michael and Vanessa Tom, Bako-Bewele has spent his entire NFL career with Green Bay after being selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He made five starts as a rookie before becoming a full-time starter, starting every regular-season game in 2023 and 2024. However, injuries limited him to 12 games in 2025 after he missed five contests.
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Still, Bako-Bewele remained one of the league's top-performing tackles. He did not allow a sack during the 2025 season and surrendered only six sacks and 85 pressures across 55 career games, including 51 starts. Pro Football Focus graded him at 83.5 overall in 2025, ranking seventh among 89 qualifying tackles. He finished 12th in run-blocking and 15th in pass-blocking grades. In 2024, he ranked fourth overall, 12th in pass blocking and third in run blocking according to PFF.
The Packers rewarded his performance with a four-year, $88 million contract extension . Although he has yet to earn Pro Bowl or All-Pro recognition, Bako-Bewele enters the 2026 season healthy and has stated that he fully expects to be in the lineup for Green Bay's Week 1 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 13.
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