The transition from college football to the NFL doesn't just involve the speed of the game or the size of the players taking the field.
There are a host of other things away from the team facility that rookies with all sorts of free time on their hands need to consider before acting on impulses, as the magnifying glass is on them more than it has been at any other point in their lives.
Green Bay Packers rookie Matthew Golden may have just learned in real-time that it isn't necessary to share your thoughts on media reports on social media, as you can see from Tuesday morning's tweet that has been since deleted. Regardless of whether they are accurate or not, it just opens up a can of worms that wouldn't need to be dealt with otherwise.
— CheeseheadTV 🧀 (@cheeseheadtv) August 19, 2025
Packers' Matthew Golden Deletes Tweet That May Have Upset Teammate
One of the downsides of training camp is the fact that, at times, the media in attendance are unable to take video of what is transpiring on the practice field. This leaves things up for interpretation from the source of the information, and sometimes, it does not tell the whole story.
Tuesday, we seem to have run into one of these instances. Packers rookie Matthew Golden quote-tweeted a message concerning the success in coverage that Keisean Nixon had against the rookie during practice. Golden, clearly not agreeing with the sentiment, replied in his way. The tweet has since been deleted.
This is one of those areas where actions off the field could trickle into the locker room. There is no reason to believe there are issues between Golden and Nixon. Suggesting as much would be irresponsible.
What does seem fair to say, though, is that egos are amplified once you reach the top of the mountain, whether that is the NFL, NBA, MLB, or NHL. These athletes are the best at what they do, and they know it. Far lesser things than the impression of being critical of a teammate's play on the practice field have caused rifts in locker rooms before.
Whether it was Golden alone who chose to delete the tweet, or he had some encouragement from the organization, the best thing the rookie can do is use this as a learning lesson. Even after playing for a college program like the Texas Longhorns, nothing compares to the attention that is always on you as an NFL player, let alone a first-round draft pick.