There is an entire offseason to do the full autopsy on the Green Bay Packers‘ collapse — both to end the season and on Saturday night in Chicago. Matt LaFleur’s team lost five straight games after a 9-3-1 start, including a pair of devastating collapses at Soldier Field over a four-week stretch. On Saturday night, the Packers saw their season end after blowing a 21-3 half-time lead.
Yet in the darkness of a truly stunning choke job, Packers rookie receiver Matthew Golden provided a true bright spot as Green Bay enters another crucial offseason.
The 2025 first-round pick caught four passes for 84 yards, including his first career touchdown. In the fourth quarter, Golden scored from 23 yards out on an incredible individual play that featured several missed tackles.
Perfect timing for Matthew Golden
📺: Prime Video pic.twitter.com/BdAmZiUSZX
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) January 11, 2026
Golden also made a nice adjustment in a scramble situation in the first half, freeing from coverage on a 36-yard completion from Jordan Love during a scoring drive.
After putting the Packers up 27-16 with his touchdown, Golden was clutch on the final two drives, making a 12-yard catch along the sideline on 2nd-and-10 with 3:11 to go and a 13-yard catch on 4th-and-7 with a minute to go.
It was a brilliant end to a frustrating rookie season for Golden. He had just one game with more than 75 yards, caught four or more passes in just three regular season games and didn’t score a touchdown. Just when he was gaining steam, he suffered shoulder and hand injuries, and the Packers pivoted to more experienced players in the passing game when Christian Watson and Jayden Reed returned from injuries.
But on the biggest stage, Golden seized his opportunity and showed why more opportunities could mean big things for him as a second-year player in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Matthew Golden shines as bright spot during dark end to Packers season
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