Green Bay Packers’ veteran left tackle, David Bakhtiari, recently opened up about the latest setback in his ongoing knee injury saga during a comprehensive interview that spanned over 35 minutes. In this discussion, Bakhtiari and the Packers have finally gained confidence in identifying the root cause of the persistent issues that have limited his playing time to just 13 games since the end of 2020.
Initially diagnosed with an ACL tear and a partial tear of his lateral meniscus, Bakhtiari underwent surgery on January 7th, 2021, to address these issues. During this procedure, doctors repaired his ACL and cleared out approximately 10 to 15 percent of his meniscus. However, what remained uncertain was the need for surgery on the cartilage attached to his femur, which has now been pinpointed as the source of his recurring knee problems.
“The clarity is to know that we finally know what the problem is, and we can address it,” Bakhtiari stated, referring to the femur cartilage issue that had been lurking in the background.
Chart: David Bakhtiari’s Career Statistics
| Category | Career Totals |
|---|---|
| Games Played | 107 |
| Pro Bowl | 4 |
| First-team All-Pro | 2 |
| Sacks Allowed | 24 |
The uncertainty surrounding the cartilage issue prevented surgeons from intervening earlier, as they didn’t want to perform unnecessary procedures on Bakhtiari’s knee joint. As he explained, “There’s plenty of individuals and a lot of other football players that have this, and they’re totally fine.” It appears that both the Packers and Bakhtiari were aware that this complication could arise, even at the time of his initial injury in 2020.
Over the past two seasons, Bakhtiari had to endure the draining of approximately 160 ccs of fluid from his knee on multiple occasions. This significant fluid buildup caused problems with his hamstring, leading to his intermittent appearances in the lineup.
To ascertain whether the fluid buildup was indeed related to the cartilage issue, Bakhtiari underwent two “clean-up” procedures following his 2021 surgery. These procedures primarily focused on eliminating scar tissue to isolate the cartilage as the underlying cause of his troubles.
Bakhtiari was keen to clarify that his condition wasn’t a “bone on bone” problem but rather one characterized by “constant debris and lack of smoothness” due to the femur cartilage. Recently, he underwent a third “clean out” and a scope, paving the way for a second surgery aimed at rectifying his cartilage problem. However, he refrained from disclosing the exact date of the upcoming surgery or its specific procedure.
Despite the challenges, Bakhtiari expressed his determination to continue playing football, citing personal goals and aspirations. When asked about the possibility of adjusting his contract for salary cap relief, he replied, “We’ll talk about it when we get there. I wouldn’t rule anything off the table, on both ends.” Currently, Bakhtiari is set to have a cap hit exceeding $40 million in 2024, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL for that season.
