The last few weeks have been unforgettable for Matthew Golden. During the NFL Draft, the former Longhorns star saw his dream come true when the Green Bay Packers drafted him in the first round. As he starts his pro career, Golden will face many changes, including his jersey number.
On Friday, Golden revealed he will wear No.22 with Green Bay. The talented wide receiver's grandmother's favorite number is 2. His choice is also a tribute to the history of the franchise he is set to start his career with.
" My grandma, her favorite number was two growing up, and she told me she wanted me to represent that number," Golden said in a press conference. "I knew the last receiver that was drafted [by the Packers in the first round] was 2002, so I feel like it kinda just made sense to me."
First look at @MatthewGolden_ in his new @Packers threads 🔥 pic.twitter.com/CrTa9d7X9c
— NFL (@NFL) May 3, 2025
Golden's College career
After starting his college career at the University of Houston, Golden transferred to Texas last year. He instantly became an impact piece and one of the Longhorns' best players. While catching passes from Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning, Golden was a human highlight reel.
In his only season with Texas, Golden hauled in 58 catches for 987 yards. He also found the endzone nine times while averaging 61.7 yards per game. Those were all career highs and showed the type of player he can be. On a team with high expectations, Golden rose to the challenge.
While he was a model of consistency, Golden also added to his trophy case. He was named East-West Shrine Bowl's "Texas Star of the Week: on Nov. 11. He was one of the few Longhorns players to earn those honors last year.
Grandmother Plays Important Role
Due to his play at Texas, Golden became one of the highest rated players at his position entering the draft. On draft night, the Texas native did not have to wait long to findout where he will be playing and his grandmother was there to watch an unforgetable night unfold.
"It's amazing, It's been a long journey from a little kid on," Golden's grandmother said in an interview during the draft. "He's had challenges, we've had challenges...and we knew the day he was born he would be a superstar, but we had no imagination like this."
Golden's family will have to swap out their Longhorns jerseys for Packer's ones starting in the fall. They don't mind the switch, as they support the Packers from afar and in person. If Golden can replicate his college numbers, then he will soon become a fan favorite in Green Bay.