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Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sport
Eva Geitheim

Packers' Matthew Golden Had Sweet Reason for Choosing Untraditional Jersey Number

Matthew Golden speaks in a press conference after being selected by the Green Bay Packers as the number 23 pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Green Bay Packers rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden is bucking the trend when it comes to his NFL jersey number. Golden has chosen to wear the No. 22, a number that is not typically worn by wide receivers.

Before the NFL rules changed in 2021, allowing most positions to choose from a greater amount of jersey numbers, receivers were only allowed to wear numbers 10 to 19 or 80 to 89. Jerseys numbered 20 to 49 were reserved for defensive backs, running backs, and fullbacks.

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