The Green Bay Packers waited until they were hosting the NFL Draft to select a wide receiver in the first round, finally. When Matthew Golden’s name was called, the fan base went nuts — and even Matthew McConaughey got in on the action with a reaction on X.
Matthew McConaughey Reacts to Packers’ Matthew Golden Draft Pick
The Packers’ streak of passing on first-round wide receivers spanned 23 years. It became a running joke among fans, mainly as the team cycled through talented but under-the-radar pass catchers while franchise quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers were left asking for more. Every April, the draft came and went with Green Bay going in a different direction.
That all changed in the 2025 NFL Draft, right outside Lambeau Field. Team president Mark Murphy stepped onstage to make the announcement. As he addressed the Packers’ many owners and fans, anticipation was off the charts. Then Murphy dropped the line, “For the first time since 2002…”
The place erupted. Packers fans finally got their Golden guy out of the University of Texas.
Hollywood actor and proud Texas Longhorns supporter Matthew McConaughey — who also serves as the school’s “Minister of Culture” — immediately posted to X:
“route, hands, speed @packers @matthewgolden_ @texaslonghorns”
route, hands, speed @packers @MatthewGolden_ @TexasLonghorns https://t.co/lv146H9vR5
— Matthew McConaughey (@McConaughey)
Golden is expected to slide right into the WR1 role for Jordan Love, who’s coming off a strong year and drawing comparisons to some of the league’s top signal-callers. The Packers haven’t had a clear-cut No. 1 receiver since Davante Adams, and they’re hoping Golden can fill that void.
PFSN draft analyst Ian Cummings compared Golden to longtime Colts standout T.Y. Hilton, who posted nearly 10,000 receiving yards and 53 touchdowns in his NFL career, along with four consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2014 through 2017.
Golden’s Rise From Texas Standout to Green Bay’s Potential WR1
Golden was a four-star recruit out of Klein Cain High School in Houston, Texas. He started his college career at the University of Houston, where he logged 1,003 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns across two seasons. Though not a high-volume target, he was efficient and explosive.
Once he transferred to Texas, Golden broke out. He set new career highs with 58 receptions, 987 yards, and nine touchdowns, showing off the full range of his skills in a more high-profile offense. Across his college career, he averaged 14.7 yards per catch.
Now, he enters the NFL with a clear opportunity to make an immediate impact. The Packers have spent several mid-round picks on wideouts in recent years—players like Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, and Jayden Reed — but none have claimed that WR1 role outright.
Golden might be the one who finally does.
