The block artist formerly known as Zach Tom?
Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Zach Tom has been one of the better linemen in the NFL since entering the league in 2022. While fans and opponents have gotten familiar with his name, they'll have to learn a new one, quickly.
On Sunday, Aug. 2, Tom let it be known that he is in the process of changing his last name to mirror that of his grandparents more closely, with his new nameplate reading Bako-Bewele.
Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press Gazette (part of the USA TODAY Network) added that Tom is in the process of changing his last name.
Tom explained that the last name, which is a combination of his grandparents' last names, is to pay homage to his Nigerian ancestry.
"I want to have a name – 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," the future Bako-Bewele told reporters on Sunday. "I just feels like that name – people will see that name and have a good understanding of who I am and where I come from."
The name change is already reflected on the team website and the locker room.
The 2022 fourth-round pick out of Wake Forest settled in at right tackle for the team in 2023. His 83.5 PFF total offense grade ranked Bako-Bewele as the 10th best tackle in the NFL in 2025.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Packers offensive lineman is changing his last name. Here's why
