On the last day of 2020, David Bakhtiari faced a moment that every athlete dreads. A knee injury during practice that would turn his world upside down. Fast forward through 1,166 days and five grueling surgeries, and the Green Bay Packers have made the tough call to release their five-time All-Pro left tackle.

Bakhtiari took to social media on Monday to break the news, leaving fans guessing if this marks his retirement or just a release from the team.

David Bakhtiari’s emotional farewell

In his post, he reflected, “It’s been a hell of a run. I always wanted to raise a Lombardi on Lombardi avenue, but I will never complain. I gave it my all. I always gave it my best no matter the circumstance and to me, that truly was enough. My 32 year old self is so damn proud of that 21 year old with no facial hair, bushy tail kid that just wanted to do his best.”

It’s a bitter pill to swallow, realizing how an injury can overshadow a stellar career. On the flip side, from a business standpoint, the Packers are looking at freeing up almost $21 million in cap space. It’s a stark reminder of how tough the business side of sports can be, even for the most dedicated and talented players.

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Bakhtiari’s talent continued to shine despite injuries

It kind of felt like we all saw it coming for Bakhtiari. Especially after he had to go through yet another surgery on that troublesome left knee of his last season. That’s surgery number five since that heartbreaker of an ACL tear back on New Year’s Eve 2020. Bakhtiari, who’s now 32, really had it rough these last few years.

Out of 51 games, he could only hit the field for 13. But let’s not forget, before all this, the guy was a beast on the field. An All-Pro left tackle who first got the nod back in 2016 and kept impressing us in 2017, 2019, snagged the first-team spot in 2018 and 2020. Even post-injury, when he did lace up, Bakhtiari was nothing short of stellar. The real snag was just how often he could actually uniform up. The Packers were trying to play it smart, keeping his practice light to save him for game days.

Last fall, tucked between surgeries four and five, Bakhtiari mentioned he wasn’t ready to throw in the towel just yet. But it seems that fate had other plans for him. Now all eyes are on him, wondering what his next move will be. Will he retire from the NFL? Or will he sign with another team?