Matthew Golden Chooses No. 22 Jersey to Honor Grandmother

The Green Bay Packers broke a 23-year streak by selecting Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden with their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Golden chose to wear the unconventional No. 22 jersey as a tribute to his grandmother, whose favorite number is two, and to commemorate the last time a Packers wide receiver was drafted in the first round, which was in 2002. Initially assigned No. 81, Golden requested the change to 22, since his college number, 2, is taken by quarterback Malik Willis. Although some fans were hesitant about a wide receiver wearing 22, Golden's heartfelt reasoning quickly won them over. Golden has also expressed his gratitude to his grandmother for her support and plans to use his signing bonus to help her buy back her house. His attitude and personal story have made him an instant fan favorite in Green Bay.