With the 2025 NFL Draft taking place at Lambeau Field, the Green Bay Packers rewarded their fanbase by giving them exactly what they wanted. The Packers selected 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.
While the first-round wide receiver has brought plenty of joy in Green Bay, some fans have taken exception with his decision to wear the No. 22 jersey, which has traditionally been reserved for running backs and defensive backs.
Packers fan unhappy with Matthew Golden after seeing him in a Packers jersey
When asked about his jersey number, Golden offered a reasonable explanation. The rookie wideout told reporters that his grandmother’s favorite number was two, and he wanted to represent that number. Since Packers backup quarterback Malik Willis currently has the No. 2 jersey, Golden elected to just wear No. 22 instead of asking the veteran for the number. Still, the explanation wasn’t enough for Packers fans to accept the decision.
Golden donned his full Packers uniform for the NFLPA’s Rookie Premiere, and fans had a difficult time accepting Golden’s unusual jersey number.
“I tried," Packers Wire’s Zach Kruse posted on social media. “I really did. But now seeing the full uniform… Matthew Golden looks like a [cornerback] wearing 22 and I strongly dislike it.”
While it may be unconventional for a wide receiver to wear No. 22, it’s not entirely unprecedented. 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.
Fans are used to seeing players wear jersey numbers that correspond with their position, but that will slowly change after a recent update to the NFL rulebook allowed for more jersey number flexibility. While wide receiver used to be restricted to jersey numbers 10-19 and 80-89, they can now wear any jersey number under 49.
"This is my boomer take that I’ll die on. This should not be allowed. Pick a number 1-11 or 80-87," another Packers fan wrote.
Before the rule change, only running backs and defensive backs were allowed to wear jersey numbers between 20-29. The No. 22 jersey was 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).