Packers OL Zach Tom bound for knee surgery

Right tackle Zach Tom plans to have surgery to repair the knee injury that curtailed his 2025 season, he told reporters before the Green Bay Packers dispersed for the offseason Monday.

Tom's partially torn patellar tendon forced him to miss Green Bay's last three regular-season games and playoff defeat on Saturday. The Packers, who squeaked into the postseason at 9-7-1, lost 31-27 in the wild-card round to the rival Chicago Bears, the NFC's No. 2 seed.

Tom said he tried to return with the help of a PRP injection but ultimately felt he would not be able to pass-block. Backup lineman Jordan Morgan was deployed at right tackle against the Bears.

Tom faces an estimated six-month recovery period, which would permit him to participate in training camp.

Tom was injured in the same game -- a 34-26 loss to the Denver Broncos on Dec. 14 -- as Packers superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons, who tore his ACL and is targeting a September return to the lineup.

A 26-year-old veteran of four seasons, Tom has appeared in 55 career games (51 starts) since the Packers drafted him in the fourth round in 2022. His four-year, $88 million contract extension, which included a positional-record $30.2 million signing bonus, runs through the 2029 season.