Packers Suffer Major Blow as O-Line Starter Ruled Out for the Season With Torn Patella

The Green Bay Packers’ season suffered another serious hit when offensive lineman Zach Bako-Bewele (formerly Zach Tom) tore a patellar tendon and was ruled out for the rest of the 2026 NFL season. He suffered the injury during the first quarter of the Packers’ 20-17 overtime road win over the New York Jets on Sunday, while blocking David Bailey on a third-down incompletion. Initially, the severity was unclear, but coach Matt LaFleur said he could be out “for a long time.” After offseason surgery for a similar 2025 injury, this time he faces new surgery and about nine months of recovery. Green Bay, 1-1, hosts the Atlanta Falcons Thursday night at Lambeau Field.