“Add in a guy like [Matthew] Golden, I know [Jordan Love] was ecstatic. I Facetimed him last night, and he was like, ‘Ooh, I’ve got to get my arm loose.’ That’s tough to throw to 4.29.” With these words, Packers’ HC Matt LaFleur shared how his QB was excited to have a dynamic addition like Golden on the roster. Having a weapon with explosive speed, running routes for Love was going to be a game-changer. But for Golden, this draft move meant walking away from everything and stepping into the unknown.
Matthew Golden is a Houston kid through and through. And he had every reason to stay close to home. Even back in college, when he got the chance to play at TCU, he chose to go to the University of Houston instead. But after two years with UH, when he got the chance to run for the University of Texas, he didn’t think twice. As Golden had noted once, “That was my end goal. [It] was to make it to the next level. Just having the foundation that I had and the coaching staff that was here at the University of Texas, they put me in [a] position to go and follow my dreams.” And after posting a career-best year at Texas, his story set course for the NFL.
Among all the teams that were vying for this first-round receiver, Golden even got himself a pre-draft interview with the Houston Texans. Playing for his hometown would’ve made him the local hero, but that wasn’t in the cards. When the draft night rolled around, instead of going back to Houston, he packed his bags for Green Bay. And the Packers? They bet big on Golden, too. They broke their 23-year-long drought to snag a WR in the first round. With the chance to make history, Golden now brings his energy to Lambeau, where every practice feels like a playoff game.
University of Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden holds his jersey after being picked by the Green Bay Packers in the first round during the 2025 NFL, American Football Herren, USA draft at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin on Thursday, April 24, 2025. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxONLY NFL20250424837 TANNENxMAURY
In Green Bay, it’s not just about learning a new playbook under LaFleur. He’s also adapting to a new climate, new teammates, and a city that lives and breathes football. And he’s all-in. In an interview with Aaron Wilson recently, Matthew Golden shared what it means for him to be with the Packers. He’s already trying to build synergy with Jordan Love. As Golden noted, for him, “It’s just being able to contribute to the team, go out there and have fun. Just my versatility, what I can do, I can play anywhere on the field. Just doing what the team needs me to do. That’s what I did at Texas and that’s what I’m going to continue to do. Just being in the position to play for the Green Bay Packers man, it means so much to me.”
Golden’s move was all about buying into Matt LaFleur’s vision for the Packers. While he’s determined to do everything, it takes to be a part of the franchise’s weaponry, his drive hasn’t gone unnoticed by the HC either. As LaFleur noted once, “He’s [a] pretty consistent guy, and you can tell the game means a lot to him. – It’s hard to coach a guy who ran a 4.28 [4.29], he’s definitely a weapon.” But as Golden leaves everything behind to join the Packers, are there any regrets for his story of almost staying in Houston? Not really. He’s all in with Green Bay.
No regrets for Matthew Golden’s Texans chapter
When the pre-draft visits were going full-throttle, it almost looked like Matthew Golden would remain in Houston. But the Texans chose to trade out of the first round. While they picked WR Jayden Higgins and OT Aireontae Ersery in round 2, Packers chose to break their WR drought with Golden in the first round. Golden’s fully guaranteed contract, coupled with the HC and QB’s excitement, meant the Packers believed in what Golden brought to the table.
As for Golden, he has no regrets about making the move away from his roots. Golden’s mindset says it all. He’s not chasing headlines; he’s building a foundation. “There’s no distractions for me, that’s a good thing,” he said. For a rookie walking into Lambeau with expectations on his shoulders, that focus could be his biggest weapon. He knows what he left behind, but it’s what he’s stepping into that matters now.
Love sees it too. “He looks like a stud,” the quarterback said. That’s not preseason optimism—that’s belief from the guy whose season depends on it. So as camp rolls in and pads come on, Golden’s not looking back at what could’ve been in Houston. He’s already knee-deep in what could be in Green Bay.
As for the Go Pack Go fandom, they could be in for a treat. If you go strictly by the numbers, a first-round rookie like Golden hitting around 90 targets, 60 catches, 800 yards, and 5 TDs would be par for the course. But Green Bay isn’t built like a typical rookie launchpad. With three other wideouts under 25 already producing and a system that saw six players get 40+ targets last year, Golden’s real test is carving out a role in one of the most evenly distributed offenses in the league.
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