Number change! Packers first-round pick Matthew Golden changes from No. 81 to No. 22

On Friday, the Green Bay Packers announced first-round pick Matthew Golden would wear the No. 81 uniform. A day later, the team announced a big change -- instead of No. 81, Golden is taking No. 22, a truly odd number for a wide receiver.

It's possible Golden just wanted to get closer to his preferred number. In high school, at Houston and at Texas, Golden wore No. 2. In Green Bay, backup quarterback Malik Willis currently wears the No. 2 uniform. It's unclear if Golden has attempted to get No. 2 from Willis, who wore the number last season in Green Bay.

The NFL has opened up numbers at positions, allowing a position like receiver to wear a number in the single digits, teens or even the 20s. Traditionally, wide receivers wore numbers in the 80s.

Will Golden actually stick with No. 22? It's fair to wonder.

The last player to wear No. 22 in Green Bay was Robert Rochell, a cornerback for the Packers between 2023 and 2024. He signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency. Other recent players to wear the number include Shemar Jean-Charles (cornerback), Dexter Williams (running back), Aaron Ripkowski (fullback) and Jerron McMillian (safety).

The Packers haven't announced any other numbers for draft picks as of Saturday afternoon.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Number change! Packers first-round pick Matthew Golden changes from No. 81 to No. 22