Getty Safety Xavier McKinney, formerly of the New York Giants.
One of the newest members of the Green Bay Packers is tired of the disrespect, though from whom exactly isn’t entirely clear.
Safety Xavier McKinney — a former member of the New York Giants who joined the Packers’ roster via free agency in March — took to social media on Thursday, April 4 with a strong message.
Done being humble with you Mf’s . Stop acting like you don’t know who I am or what I do . I AM HIM
“Done being humble with you Mf’s,” McKinney wrote. “Stop acting like you don’t know who I am or what I do. I AM HIM.”
Precisely who McKinney was calling out remains uncertain. However, several Green Bay fans in the safety’s comments section were supportive of his boldness — even if it was vague — heading into his first season with the franchise.
Packers’ New DB Xavier McKinney Was Among NFL’s Elite Safeties in 2023
GettySafety Xavier McKinney is one of the Green Bay Packers’ top free agency additions of 2024.
McKinney was arguably Green Bay’s top addition in free agency, signing a four-year contract with the team worth $67 million total. The payday makes McKinney, who will play next season at 25 years old, the fourth-highest paid safety in the NFL based on annual average salary.
That the Packers splurged at safety wasn’t overly surprising, considering the loss of former first-round pick and five-year starter Darnell Savage to the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency. That said, McKinney has minimal accolades through four years in the league after the Giants drafted him in the second round (No. 36 overall) out of the University of Alabama back in 2020.
The safety has zero All-Pro or Pro Bowl selections to his name, though he was an elite defender in 2023 based on the numbers. He started all 17 games last season, and Pro Football Focus ranked him the 4th-best safety out of 95 players who saw enough snaps to qualify at the position.
McKinney was superb in coverage, recording 3 interceptions and allowing just 33 receptions across 54 targets, per PFF. He also afforded opposing quarterbacks a collective passer rating of just 52.1.
While McKinney doesn’t have an extensive history of in-game injuries, maturity questions arose following an incident in Mexico during the 2022 campaign. The then Giants safety was in the country during the team’s Week 9 bye when he broke his hand during an ATV accident.
McKinney missed a total of eight regular-season games that year. He also appeared in just six games as rookie, earning four starts, per Pro Football Reference.
Xavier McKinney, Jaire Alexander Will Make for Dynamic Duo in Packers’ Secondary in More Ways Than One
GettyGreen Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander.
McKinney will bring both big talent and a big personality to a Packers secondary that was far from devoid of either of those qualities before his arrival in 2024. Cornerback Jaire Alexander is perhaps the primary reason for the high levels of both big-game ability and swagger in Green Bay’s defensive backfield prior to the McKinney era.
Alexander, who does have a considerable list of accolades (two Pro Bowl appearances and two second-team All-Pro selections), has had his share of media attention and controversy over the years. Most recently, the team suspended Alexander one game for appointing himself a captain ahead of the team’s Week 16 matchup with the Carolina Panthers and then nearly botching a pregame coin toss the Packers won.
There was some speculation that Green Bay could be interested in moving on from Alexander this offseason, despite the cornerback remaining in the middle of a four-year extension worth $84 million. However, that decision never materialized and Alexander appears on his way back to play alongside McKinney in green and gold in 2024.