By Tori Wittenbrock
Associate Sports Editor
GREEN BAY – After a nine-year long career (2010-2019) as a tackle for the Green Bay Packers offensive line, proudly sporting No. 75, Bryan Bulaga has chosen to retire as a Green Bay Packer.
“It’s kind of a full-circle moment for me,” said Bulaga. “To be part of, what I think is the greatest organization in the NFL, has been an absolute honor. Green Bay — it feels like home to me.”
Bulaga was selected by the Packers as a first round pick of the 2010 NFL Draft out of the University of Iowa. During his rookie season he became the youngest player to ever start in a Super Bowl when the Packers won Super Bowl XLV. He quickly developed a following on and off the field and was viewed as a leader in the locker room. Throughout his time with the Packers, Bulaga started in 124 games (111 regular season, 13 postseason). The 115 regular-season games where Bulaga saw the field were the most played by someone on the offensive line during that time.
“Coming here as a 21 year old…it’s truly where I felt I belonged, where I felt the most comfortable, and where it felt like family,” said Bulaga.
Although he technically finished his career in Los Angeles, where he spent his final two seasons in the NFL with the Chargers from 2020-21, docking 11 starts, Bulaga elected to sign a one-day contract with Green Bay to formally retire as a Packers player, General Manager Brian Gutekunst announced on Thursday, Nov. 16.
“We want to send our congratulations to Bryan on a wonderful career and thank him for his contributions to the Packers,” said Gutekunst. “He was not only one of the premier right tackles in the National Football League, he was also a tremendous teammate who was key to the success of many teams. We wish him, his wife, Abbie, and their family all the best in the years ahead.”
Bulaga earned All-Rookie honors from the Professional Football Writers of America during his rookie season when he started 12 games and played 16. He also started all four postseason contests that season, including the Super Bowl XLV win in the 2010 season over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Bulaga became the first rookie in the history of the NFL to start at right tackle in a Super Bowl win and was the youngest player, at the time, to start a Super Bowl at 21 years, 322 days.
“I got to be a part of, what I think is the best Green Bay Packers offensive line in history with T.J. (Lang), Josh (Sitton), Dave (Bakhtiari) and Corey (Linsely). I got to play with those guys and be around those guys every day and we pushed each other to be great,” said Bulaga.
Bulaga was an instrumental part of the Packers’ six division titles, making the playoffs eight times and reaching the NFC Championship four times during his career in Green Bay.
Bulaga also had the honor of protecting the legendary Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers, breeding a successful career for him as well.
“Being able to block for a Hall of Fame quarterback and experience greatness and be a part of greatness with him is something I’ll always be appreciative of,” said Bulaga.
Bulaga’s presence on the field allowed running backs Eddie Lacy (758) and James Starks (601) to become the first Green Bay pair since 1985 to each rush for more than 600 yards in the same season in 2015.
As part of his final time with the Packers, Bulaga spoke to the team after a recent practice and relayed an important message about his experience with the Packers to the young roster.
“Times weren’t always good for us when we were here. I mentioned 2017-18 and we went through some hard times,” said Bulaga. “But we always believed in that locker room and the guys that we had that we could come out on the other side of that better.”