Matthew Golden’s Journey to the NFL and a Promise Fulfilled
Matthew Golden reached a major milestone in his life when his name was called during the NFL Draft in April. But, as exciting as that was, he had another dream to chase.
Selected as the 23rd overall pick by the Green Bay Packers in the 2025 NFL Draft, Golden became the franchise’s first wide receiver picked in the first round since 2002. Reflecting on the moment, he said, “It was a crazy vibe. Packer fans are so authentic, and I love Green Bay. You can feel the energy during practice.”
Since the end of his final season at Texas, which ended in the College Football Playoffs semi-finals, Golden has been on a whirlwind journey. He jumped right into preparation for the draft, followed by rookie camp, OTAs, mini camp, and now training camp. It’s like he hasn’t had a break for almost a year.
Still, he was prepared for what lay ahead. “It was always my dream to be in the NFL and attend the draft… I really enjoyed the whole experience,” he shared. Interestingly, being drafted isn’t even what he considers his biggest achievement.
Golden made a childhood promise to do something significant for his family. At 12, he experienced the loss of his grandmother’s family property. “It always stuck with me that I wanted to do something good for my family. I wanted to regain that fortune,” he admitted.
Once drafted, his first plan was to buy his grandmother a new home. While he couldn’t reclaim the exact property, he managed to purchase a nearby house in Houston with assistance. It was a heartfelt moment as he explained, “Seeing my grandma’s face when I told her the house was for her—there were so many emotions. That was a cool moment for me.”
On July 10, Golden surprised his grandmother to celebrate her new home, which was filled with joy and laughter. It’s clear that 2025 is shaping up to be a remarkable year for him, but he still has more goals in sight.
“As a team, we talk about aiming for the Lombardi trophy—that’s what we’re all in the team room for,” he stated. “Every day, we work hard, pushing ourselves to improve both offensively and defensively. We all understand our ultimate goal: the Super Bowl. That’s what we’re chasing.”
