Green Bay Packers offensive tackle David Bakhtiari waves to the cameras at the start of minicamp practice Tuesday, June 8, 2021, in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
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Green Bay Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari pumped up Milwaukee Bucks fans by chugging beer at Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Milwaukee Bucks are entering familiar territory, as they reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the second time in three years. They swept the Miami Heat in the opening round and pulled off an upset over the Brooklyn Nets’ Big 3. The Bucks need to share a similar path as they did in 2019, but without the 2-0 series collapse to the Toronto Raptors.
That is where Green Bay Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari steps in. During the opening minutes of Game 1 on Wednesday night, Bakhtiari was shown on the Fiserv Forum jumbotron doing what he did throughout the 2019 playoff run — chugging beer.
Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari chugs beer during Game 1 between the Bucks and Hawks
He’s still got it. But the real question is — was Aaron Rodgers at the Bucks game?
Bakhtiari gained notoriety for his ability to down a beer during Milwaukee’s Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup against the Boston Celtics in 2019. He did so again in the conference finals when the Bucks matched up against the Raptors. In that playoff run, that was when Bakhtiari destroyed Rodgers, the man whose blindside he protects, in a beer-chugging contest. It was not even close.
There is uncertainty surrounding the Packers this year, as Rodgers has not reported to the team for mandatory minicamp and reportedly has no desire to play for the team. It is unknown when or if Rodgers will return to the Packers prior to the upcoming regular season, but the team does have Jordan Love prepping as if he will be the Week 1 starter. So, it is entirely likely that Bakhtiari could be protecting Love at the line of scrimmage this season.
The Bucks have not reached the NBA Finals since 1974, where they lost to the Boston Celtics in seven games. They had not won an NBA title since sweeping the Baltimore Bullets in 1971. If the Bucks can go through the Hawks, rest assured that their fanbase will be chugging beers like Bakhtiari did in this clip.