There’s no denying that when healthy, Green Bay Packers star David Bakhtiari still remains one of the top offensive tackles in the game today. However, injuries have gotten in the way of the two-time All-Pro offensive tackle being at his best of late.
Bakhtiari is still feeling the long-term effects of his surgically repaired knee. He missed Green Bay’s Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, and he is now in danger of sitting out again on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.
Given his injury woes, it comes as no surprise that there has been speculation that the 31-year-old could retire in the near future. In a recent interview with Packers beat writer Ryan Wood of USA Today, Bakhtiari confessed that the thought of retirement has indeed already crossed his mind:
“Maybe in like a quiet talk to myself,” Bakhtiari confessed. “But realistically, I think — God I hate it such a blowhard thing to say, and I hate bluehards when it comes to football — I think it’s going to be more like a doctor having to be like, ‘What are you doing?’ And i’ll be like, ‘Alright, fair.’
“I’m going to get fined for this one but I just enjoy it too much and I’m to f--king good at it. It’s just tough for me to want (to quit). … At least if I was bad I would maybe entertain it a little bit more, but that’s the part that’s tough is when I know I’m still good and I know I’m still at a disadvantage. It’s funny when I hear guys s--- talking on the field. I think to myself, ‘I’m beating you with one leg tied behind my back. You have no idea.’ So that’s the part. I think if I was bad, I’d have maybe a little bit more of a conversation.”
The good news for the Packers faithful here is that Bakhtiari isn’t ready to hang it up just yet. He knows deep down that he’s still at the top of his game, and this belief is what motivates him to go out there week after week — when he’s healthy and available, that is.
Bakhtiari was then asked about the prospect of playing on in 2024, which will be his 12th year in the NFL, all with the Packers. According to the three-time Pro-Bowler, he isn’t entertaining the concept of retirement — at least not yet at this point:
“I haven’t heard any doctor be like, ‘Eh,'” he said. “It’s more just like, ‘We’ve just got to figure out something. The knee still, there’s a lot of parts about it we love about it.’
“Until I get a point where they’re like, ‘Hey, you’ve got to start really thinking about your ability to move around after,’ then I would have a realistic conversation with my wife and myself. Kind of look myself in the mirror like, ‘Alright, how much of your ego do I need to fill right now?”
It sounds like Bakhtiari still has a few good years ahead of him. Green Bay fans will just need to hope and pray that his knee holds up.
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