At the 2025 NFL Draft, Green Bay Packers CEO Murphy announced that the team was selecting Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden with the No. 23 overall pick, and the crowd at Lambeau Field erupted. Prior to the pick, Green Bay had gone 23 years without selecting a wide receiver in the first round, the longest active streak in the NFL. Their last first-round wide receiver was Javon Walker, who was selected in the 2002 NFL Draft.
Although Golden has generated plenty of excitement in Green Bay, he caused an uproar when he decided to wear jersey No. 22, a number that has traditionally been reserved for running backs and defensive backs.
Matthew Golden defended his unconventional jersey number
Golden, who wore jersey No. 2 at Texas, was asked about his decision during Green Bay’s rookie minicamp on Friday.
“My grandma, her favorite number was two growing up, and she told me she wanted me to represent that number,” Golden explained, per The Athletic. “And so I knew the last [Packers] receiver that was drafted [in the first round] was 2002, so I feel like it kind of made sense to me.”
Packers backup quarterback Malik Willis currently has the No. 2 jersey, and Golden didn’t bother asking the veteran for the number.
“For me, it’s just a jersey number,” Golden said. “I could wear 85 if I wanted to. I’m still going to go out there and get open.”
While it may be unconventional for a wide receiver to wear No. 22, it’s not unheard of. Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Bob Hayes wore No. 22 throughout his 11-year career with the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers. The number has also been worn by Hall of Famers like running back Emmitt Smith, safety Paul Krause and cornerback Roger Wehrli. The last Packers players to wear the number were cornerbacks Robert Rochell (2024) and Shemar Jean-Charles (2023).
Green Bay’s rookies have had an immense responsibility during general manager Brian Gutekunst’s tenure. Since he was elevated to his current role in 2018, the Packers have ranked second in games started by rookies. That tradition will likely continue with Golden, who will be asked to lead an underwhelming wide receiver corps.
Green Bay's top four wide receivers in 2024 were all mid- or late-round picks under the age of 26. While they all finished with at least 400 receiving yards, none of them were able to separate themselves as consistent and reliable talents.
Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed, a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, led the team in receptions (55) and receiving yards (857) with six receiving touchdowns. Packers wide receiver Christian Watson is expected to miss at least half of the 2025 season while recovering from a torn ACL, and Green Bay’s top wide receivers all have either one or two years remaining on their rookie contracts.
Despite their youth, Green Bay has still managed to find success. Over the past two years, Green Bay has fielded the youngest teams by weighted age to make the playoffs since 1980, per the team’s website.