Because Melton finally got the call he was waiting for

GREEN BAY – Bo Melton expected a longer wait.

Sitting with his girlfriend and newborn son, the Packers wide receiver braced himself for another day of stressful budget cuts, hoping to finally start the NFL season with a 53-man roster.

But before the tension could build, Melton’s phone rang with a call from passing game coordinator Jason Vrable. He made the team, Melton’s first starting 53 in three tries.

“It was pretty quick. Usually it takes until the end of time, but they called me as soon as possible,” Melton said with a laugh. “It was a great connection, to finally experience being in a band for the first time. I was excited, just really excited.”

This summer has been a bit different for Melton than the last two. The 5-foot-11, 189-pound receiver proved his worth late last season, catching 16 passes for 218 yards and a touchdown during Green Bay’s late-season playoff push.

That included six catches for 105 yards in a 33-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings on New Year’s Eve, during which Melton became the first Packers quarterback to pass the 100-yard mark in a game that season.

Melton continued that streak this summer, ending training camp with an 18-yard touchdown run in Green Bay’s 30-7 victory over Baltimore in the final preseason game.

Still, the 25-year-old wide receiver knew better than anyone that nothing was certain on cuts day after starting his first two NFL seasons on the practice squad in Seattle (2022) and Green Bay (2023).

“The first two years of not getting the call was definitely a little heartbreaking for me because of all the work I put into the game,” Melton said. “I stuck to the Bible, I was with my parents, and they kept telling me to keep going. I just kept going through the tough times. I kept doing it, I kept doing it, I kept trying, and now this year I got the call. I was like, ‘Man, it paid off.’”

Melton has never lacked motivation, but in July his inner strength took a leap forward following the birth of his son, Kylo, ​​the newest member of the incredibly athletic Melton family.

Sports and family have always been the cornerstones of the Melton household. Bo’s father, Gary, played running back and receiver at Rutgers, while his mother, Vicky, played basketball for the Scarlet Knights.

Bo and his younger brother, Max, followed in their footsteps at Rutgers. Max, a quarterback, joined his older brother in the NFL this year after being drafted in the second round by the Arizona Cardinals.

Bo and Max remain in constant contact. Although their conversations rarely revolve around football, Max broke precedent a bit when he called to congratulate his older brother after Bo jumped for a TD against Baltimore.

“I talk to him every day, but he texted me after that catch and we talked for an hour,” Melton said. “I just check in on him and see how he’s doing. He’s a smart guy. He loves football. We don’t get into the intricacies of cuts and all that, but I love him to death. We talk about our minds and how we’re doing in camp.”

With 4.3 speed and a knack for finding the ball, Melton has become a trusted playmaker in Green Bay’s offense, and his strong finish last year showed he could be a solid plug-and-play complement to top wideouts Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks.

This influence extends beyond the football field.

“Because he doesn’t just add something to the pitch, he adds something to the dressing room, the boardroom, the training room,” Wicks said. “He’s a funny guy, fun to be around, always cracking jokes. On the pitch, he’s just another important piece for us – a sleeper.

“Everyone doesn’t really know who he is — they don’t know who a lot of us in this room are yet — but he can go out and do the same thing as the first three people who come in.”

Melton, a glue man and natural joker, tends to keep things light-hearted. He can often be found laughing with practice squad players in the secondary locker room or coaching teammates at the ping-pong table.

Melton also gets it from his teammates. On Monday, Melton and Wicks played in the background while Watson attended to his media duties. The third-year quarterback smiled at his teammates but otherwise remained composed amid the amusing distractions.

“Bo brings a different energy and a different vibe to the wide receiver room, to the offense and to the team,” Watson said. “I don’t think there’s one person in this locker room who has any animosity toward Bo. I think he’s shaken hands with every single person on the team. I think he knows every single person on the team.”

Melton has a serious side, and understanding his story is more than just a good story. He’s become a cog in a young and versatile receiving corps that will help drive the offense this year. His speed helped compensate for the loss of Watson late last season.

Melton knows that a date with adversity is always just around the corner, but experience has taught him how far a little hard work can go. His attention remains focused on the climb that has barely begun.

“This process is never easy. I hear Ja-Money talk about it all the time,” Melton said, referring to Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander. “It’s my lifestyle. The process of life is going to be full of adversity. There’s going to be ups and downs, and eventually we’re going to get to the top — and we’re not there yet.

“To get to the top, you have to put in the work. Hard work and perseverance starts in training. That’s how it’s always been. That’s what got me to where I am now.”