The Green Bay Packers are one of the oldest and certainly the most storied franchise in the history of the NFL. Throughout their 105-year history, thousands of players have donned the Green and Gold, and some have reached legendary status because of what they accomplished during that time.
Every year, a new crop of young rookies join the team, having been selected by the Packers in the NFL Draft or signed as undrafted free agents. And, as always, they all have the same goals. That is, they are striving to make the team, help the team win, and make a name for themselves.
But Matthew Golden, the first wide receiver Green Bay selected in the first round of any NFL Draft since 2002, has some specific goals that, if he reaches them, would automatically make him one of Green Bay’s all-time greats.
Matthew Golden May Not Know His Goals Would Make Green Bay Packers History
Former Packers quarterback Kurt Benkert is now an NFL analyst and video game content creator. On one of his most recent shows, he interviewed Golden and asked him some questions put forth by fans. One of them asked the first round wide receiver what his goals were for the upcoming season.
Benkert took the question and put a different spin on it, asking Golden what a successful rookie season would look like for him.
Golden’s response was epic:
Uncut with @Packers 1st round WR @MatthewGolden_
I didn’t want to keep you guys waiting
– He’s not even taking #2
– His first Lambeau Leap you’re going to have to drag him out of there
– What personal successful looks like in his rookie year+ a few more nuggets 🤝 pic.twitter.com/7NDYJAf6vJ
— Kurt Benkert (@KurtBenkert) May 16, 2025
“I always set high goals for myself, so I want to reach 1,000 yards, 8-10 touchdowns,” Golden said.
Benkert responded by telling him that he believes the Texas product can do it easily.
And if he does meet those benchmarks, he will have one of the greatest seasons by a rookie wide receiver in franchise history.
The Best Seasons by Green Bay Packers Rookie Wide Receivers
In 2023, a great deal of attention was paid to the fact that one of Golden’s new teammates, Jayden Reed, broke Sterling Sharpe’s franchise record for receptions by a rookie. Indeed, Reed had an impressive rookie campaign, but it was not exactly the best ever by a Green Bay first-year wide receiver:
| Wide Receiver | Year | Receptions | Yards | Touchdowns |
| Billy Howton | 1952 | 53 | 1,231 | 13 |
| James Lofton | 1978 | 46 | 818 | 6 |
| Sterling Sharpe | 1988 | 55 | 791 | 1 |
| Jayden Reed | 2023 | 64 | 793 | 8 |
As one can see from the chart above, Reed still holds that rookie receptions record, but Billy Howton, who is somehow not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame despite being the NFL’s leader in receiving yards at the time of his retirement, holds the franchise rookie records for receiving yards and touchdowns.
If Golden breaks 1,000 yards and scores those 8-10 touchdowns in 2025, he might easily have the second-best (or best ever depending on his seasons stats) season by a Packers rookie wide receiver ever.
And that would quickly make him a legend in the minds of Packers fans.
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