Matthew Golden
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Matthew Golden is listed as a starting wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers.
Matthew Golden has gone from college to starting in the NFL for one of the Super Bowl favorites in less than nine months.
The Green Bay Packers first-round draft pick showed up as a starting wide receiver on their unofficial depth chart that was unveiled Tuesday.
Golden, of course, was chosen 23rd overall from the University of Texas and technically was the fourth wideout picked in this past year’s draft — though Travis Hunter of the Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 2) was officially listed as a cornerback.
The Houston native was one of just two players to run a sub-4.3-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in Indianapolis in March. Still, he was picked behind fellow wideouts Hunter, Tetairoa McMillan of the Carolina Panthers (No. 8) and Emeka Egbuka of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 19).
The Packers, who went 11-6 in 2024 and fell in the wild-card round to the eventual-champion Philadelphia Eagles, will open their 2025 season against the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
Is Matthew Golden Going To Start Sunday?
The Packers have battled injuries to their receiving corps, namely No. 1 receiver Christian Watson, who still is on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list after he tore his ACL in Week 18 against the Chicago Bears.
Yet, when you check the three-wideout depth chart on the Packers website, Golden’s name is listed alongside fellow starters Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed — and ahead of incumbent Dontayvion Wicks.
Golden has persevered through hardships in his young life from being homeless to watching his grandma lose their family house. Yet, Golden continues to rise above.
“It’s good to see Matthew Golden listed as a starter,” said Joe Arrigo, the director of football operations at Hierarchy Sports Group and a longtime NFL commentor, on X (formerly Twitter). “Not only with him being a first-round pick, but he has, by all accounts, lit it up since he’s arrived in Green Bay, and has earned that distinction.”
Arrigo also floated the potential for their receivers room to further improve once Watson returns and even though Keisean Nixon was listed as the team’s return specialist, he suggested that was also open to alteration — with the potential addition of former Kansas City Chiefs burner Mecole Hardman.
“The wide receiver depth looks as good as advertised and will only get better once Christian Watson returns sooner rather than later,” Arrigo posted. “The return specialist, I think, might be different when the game is kicked off on Sunday afternoon. With Hardman likely to be elevated weekly, he will probably be the primary returner.”
What Number is Matthew Golden?
Golden wore No. 2 at both Houston and Texas but was No. 22 during training camp, since backup quarterback Malik Willis wears No. 2 for the Packers — and Golden surely doesn’t have trade-for-a-number money despite his fully guaranteed four-year, $10-plus-million contract.
Yet, a quick glimpse at the Packers roster shows Golden with No. 0, a number that no Packers player has ever worn in a regular-season game before.
Yet, with recently acquired defensive end Micah Parsons receiving No. 1 — he’s the first Packers player to don that number since Curly Lambeau, for whom the team’s home field is named, 100 years ago — maybe uniform-number trends are changing in Titletown.