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Bo and Max Melton, two brothers from Mays Landing, played against each other for the first time in the NFL on the not-so-frozen tundra of Lambeau Field on Sunday, Oct. 13. Arizona Cardinals cornerback Max traveled to Green Bay, Wisconsin, to take on Packers wide receiver Bo in what many fans called the "Melton Bowl."
The brothers' parents and two other siblings made the trip to Lambeau for the family feud on the gridiron.
"It's very, very special," their mother Vicky said to Packers.com before the game. "Mom's gonna get teary-eyed, just thinking about it I get teary-eyed. That's just something that doesn't happen very often. It's a blessing."
The Meltons were teammates for a season at Cedar Creek High School and both went about 90 minutes north to play at Rutgers University. The elder brother Bo was drafted in the seventh round by Green Bay in the 2022 NFL Draft and Max was selected by the Cardinals in the 2024 draft's second round.
Mom and Dad gracefully supported both sides in the showdown between the 3-2 Pack and 2-3 Cards. FOX Sports showed Vicky and Gary Sr. wearing special split jerseys with Bo's white number 80 on the front and Max's red number 16 on the back.
There was also a good chance of the brothers directly lining up when Green Bay had the ball, something that their oldest brother Gary Jr. certainly wanted.
"Even like the Kelce family, their mom was over there like, 'Hey, I don't have to do much but I just root for the offense,'" Gary Jr. said. "Well, my mom is in the position where she really has two sons that are literally playing the antithesis of each other at receiver and corner."
Like his brothers, Gary Jr. also played at Cedar Creek. He continued in college at Delaware State University and is now a probation officer in Cape May County.
The three brothers got their love for sports from their parents. Gary Sr. was a running back at Rutgers and Vicky was a two-time captain for the Scarlet Knights women's basketball team.
With the Meltons among the 77,773 people at iconic Lambeau, it was time for Max and Bo's teams to battle.
After Green Bay and Arizona traded punts on the opening possessions, the Packers struck first with a five-yard touchdown pass by Jordan Love to Jayden Reed. Bo Melton helped set up the score with a 16-yard end-around rush, giving the Pack first-and-goal.
The Meltons were seen going head-to-head at least once on the next Packers drive. Bo ran straight up the left sideline on a pass play, with Max matching him stride for stride.
From there, Green Bay's offense wouldn't slow down that much. They scored on the next three drives to take a 24-0 lead and the Packers won 34-13.
Bo Melton ended with 27 rushing yards, a six-yard catch, and one tackle on special teams. Max finished with four tackles on a tough afternoon for the Cards defense.
After the game, the brothers completed the family affair by swapping jerseys.
"I love you 4eva ❤️♾️," Bo wrote in a postgame Instagram post. "Out of EHC to the PRO’s . Gods Blessings . 🤩 CHOSEN ONES ❤️🤞🏾 #AGTG"
"Proud is an understatement," Vicky posted on Instagram. "You are blessed by the best!! Thank you Lord. Keep going. We love you. ♾️"
The NFL's schedule rotation has the Packers and Cardinals slated to play next in Arizona during the 2027 season, according to FBSchedules.com. They could play in 2025 or 2026 if the teams finish in the same place in their respective divisions.
Of course, the "Melton Bowl" could reach an even higher level if the teams meet in the NFC playoffs.
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