David Bakhtiari

David Afrasiab Assad Bakhtiari was born on September 30, 1991, in San Mateo, California. He attended Junípero Serra High School, where he excelled in both football and lacrosse, serving as a team captain. Despite being rated as a two-star prospect by Rivals.com, Bakhtiari committed to play college football for the Colorado Buffaloes. He redshirted in 2009 and went on to play all twelve games in his first year on the field, starting eleven. He played the third-most snaps on offense and was recognized with an honorable mention for Freshman All-American honors. His dedication continued into his sophomore year, where despite a knee injury early in the season, he started the remaining games and was named to the All-Pac-12 Conference second-team.

Bakhtiari’s collegiate career concluded after his junior season, during which he earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors for the second consecutive year. He decided to forgo his senior season and declared for the 2013 NFL Draft. The Green Bay Packers selected him in the fourth round, 109th overall. He quickly made an impact, becoming the first rookie left tackle since 1978 to start every game for the Packers, a testament to his immediate contribution and reliability. This early success set the stage for a distinguished professional career, characterized by consistent performance and leadership on the offensive line.

Throughout his 11 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, Bakhtiari established himself as a premier offensive tackle. He secured a four-year, $48 million contract extension in 2016, followed by a groundbreaking four-year, $105.5 million deal in 2020, making him the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history at the time. His career is marked by multiple Pro Bowl selections (2016, 2019, 2020) and All-Pro honors, including two First-team selections (2018, 2020) and three Second-team selections (2016, 2017, 2019). Despite facing significant injury challenges, including an ACL tear in 2020 and subsequent knee surgeries, Bakhtiari remained a respected figure in the league. He was released by the Packers in March 2024.