Matthew Golden reveals perfect perspective on his rookie goals, and it quietly says a lot about how he fits the Packers' plan
The calm before the storm. After weeks in Green Bay for the rookie minicamp, OTAs, and mandatory minicamp for the Packers, first-round wide receiver Matthew Golden had time to go back to Texas and attended the Skillz and Drillz Youth Football Camp, in Houston, over the weekend. Now, he has five weeks before his first […]
The calm before the storm. After weeks in Green Bay for the rookie minicamp, OTAs, and mandatory minicamp for the Packers, first-round wide receiver Matthew Golden had time to go back to Texas and attended the Skillz and Drillz Youth Football Camp, in Houston, over the weekend. Now, he has five weeks before his first NFL training camp, and the rookie has already shown he understands what his true goals should be.
"Hopefully we win that Super Bowl," Golden said during the youth football camp. "That's all we talk about up there. For me it's always the team comes first, and second will be whatever I want. For me, just being able to contribute to the team, going to have fun, and go get that trophy."
Golden is in the process of learning the offense. For him, playing under older guys like Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, and Jayden Reed is a big part of the process to be the best version of himself and have immediate impact. Throughout the last few weeks, the first-rounder has made sure to create a stronger connection with quarterback Jordan Love.
"Definitely the chemistry, being on point with the quarterback," Golden added. "Knowing the progression that the quarterbacks have. It's so much more detailed in the NFL than it is in college, so just making sure I'm near at the right time, I'm doing my part to do what the team needs me to do."
Throughout the draft process, Matthew Golden was mostly perceived as a player who could end up in the slot. Because the Packers already have Jayden Reed in that role, there are some valid questions about how they can play together — but Green Bay made it clear that they see Golden as an outside receiver as well. For the rookie, showing he can be everywhere is a big part of his individual goals for his first NFL season.
"Just my versatility, what I can do. I can play anywhere on the field," Golden stressed. "For me, like I said, just doing what the team needs me to do. That's what I did at Texas and that's what I'm concerned to do. Just being in a position to play for the Green Bay Packers, it means so much to me."
Matthew Golden played two college seasons at Houston before transferring to Texas last season. In his lone season for the Longhorns, the receiver had 58 catches for 987 yards and nine touchdowns, which elevated his draft stock.
Over the pre-draft process, it was widely expected that Golden would go before the Packers were on the clock — and the Dallas Cowboys at 12 were a usual match. However, he fell a little bit and the Packers took him with the 23rd overall pick. Golden was the 18th overall prospect on the consensus big board, the second pure wide receiver after Tetairoa McMillan. In the draft, though, Emeka Egbuka was drafted ahead of Golden and went to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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