Green Bay Packers right tackle Zach Tom has officially changed his last name to Bako-Bewele, a decision he made to honor his Nigerian heritage and ensure a lasting connection for future generations. The 27-year-old player adopted the surnames of his paternal grandmother and grandfather.
'Especially when I start having kids and stuff, I want to have a name that I can pass down where it represents where they came from, where I came from,' Bako-Bewele told reporters during training camp. 'People will see that name and have a good understanding of who I am, where I come from.'
The name change was officially recognized on Sunday, with 'Bako-Bewele' appearing on his practice jersey. This marks a significant milestone after a process he began considering at least since college.
'But this offseason, I kind of did a little bit more research. It just kind of came to me, and I just wanted to do it. I had time, so I was just like, 'Let's just go ahead and get it done,'' he explained.
Fans on social media expressed support for the change, with one user writing, 'Sick a** name. Jersey going to look much better.' Another commented, 'All-Pro season coming up.'
Bako-Bewele, a former National Honor Society member and three-year academic letterman at Wake Forest, signed a four-year, $88 million extension with the Packers a year ago. However, he missed five regular-season games and the team's Wildcard playoff loss in 2025 due to a knee injury.
He is still in recovery and has been limited to individual drills and walk-throughs during training camp. 'It's getting better,' Bako-Bewele said. 'Hopefully I can start doing team 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.'
In his four NFL seasons, Bako-Bewele has not committed a holding penalty and has recorded five false starts, according to Pro Football Reference. The Packers finished the 2025 season with a 9-7-1 record and have added several new players, including defensive lineman Javon Hargrave, defensive back Benjamin St-Juste, and linebacker Zaire Franklin.