Packers rookie Matthew Golden just picked the most absurd uniform number for a wide receiver

Billy Heyen

•
Packers rookie Matthew Golden just picked the most absurd uniform number for a wide receiver image

Matthew Golden was supposed to be wearing No. 81 for the Packers. That's what Desmond Howard said on the night of the NFL Draft first round.

But Green Bay and Golden have made a switch.

Now? He'll be No. 22.

That's a running back or defensive back number if we've ever seen one.

Golden likely picked 22 because he wore No. 2 at both his college stops, Houston and Texas.

There's also one speedy NFL legend who wore 22 at the receiver position: Bob Hayes, who was known as "Bullet."

SN's NFL DRAFT HQ: Live tracker | Pick-by-pick grades | Best players still available

It'll certainly be a trendy jersey purchase for Packers fans.

Those repeating numerals always look cool, and when you add the last name Golden on top of it, it's a strong combination.

Maybe Golden will start a trend of wideouts taking numbers that were previously reserved for backs.

It'll probably depend on how well he plays. The cooler someone looks in a uniform number, usually based on their performance, has a big impact on what things stick around.

Golden's No. 22 is a test case, and an odd choice, but Packers fans will be happy as long as he plays like a first-round pick, considering they hadn't chosen a receiver that high since 2002.

MORE NFL DRAFT:

Billy Heyen

Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News. Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle