Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Zach Tom has legally changed his surname to Bako-Bewele, a move he states is intended to honor his Nigerian heritage and connect with his ancestral roots. The name change reflects his paternal grandmother’s surname, Bako, and his paternal grandfather’s surname, Bewele.
Bako-Bewele, 27, expressed a desire to pass down a name that signifies his heritage to potential future children. "People will see that name and have a good understanding of who I am, where I came from," he told reporters.
He was seen practicing with the new name displayed on the back of his No. 50 jersey. While Bako-Bewele initiated the name change process in March, the idea had been developing for several years, dating back to his college days. This past offseason, he dedicated more time to research and decided to proceed with the change.
Bako-Bewele is currently in rehabilitation after suffering a partially torn patellar tendon in the final four games of the 2025 season, which required surgery. He has been limited to individual drills and walk-throughs but remains optimistic about returning for Week 1.
"It’s getting better," Bako-Bewele said of his recovery. "Hopefully I can start doing team [drills] within a week or so, but yeah I mean I’m out there moving around. I feel good, look good, so it’s time to get it going."
Last season, Bako-Bewele demonstrated strong performance when healthy, achieving a Pro Football Focus grade of 83.5, which ranked seventh among 89 offensive tackles.