TGreen Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney knew exactly what was coming when he unloaded on the officials after last Sunday’s 20-17 loss to the Detroit Lions.
On Saturday, it became official.
The NFL disciplined McKinney in the form of a fine for his postgame criticism of the officiating at Ford Field, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. McKinney was also fined $11,593 for taunting in the 2025 season opener, also against Detroit.
“The NFL officially fined Packers safety Xavier McKinney $25,000 for his post-game criticism of officials after Green Bay’s loss in Detroit,” Schefter reported.
McKinney had already let the cat out of the bag after Thursday night’s 27-19 win over the Carolina Panthers. He told ESPN’s Rob Demovsky he’d been fined, and while he wouldn’t give the exact number, he laughed and said it wasn’t less than $25,000, the league minimum for criticizing officials.
“I make enough money, so I’ll be OK,” said McKinney, who signed a four-year, $67 million contract with Green Bay in 2024.
Xavier McKinney Didn’t Pull Any Punches on NFL Refs
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur declined to put the Lions loss on the officials. However, McKinney didn’t follow his lead.
“They’re going to flag you for anything at this point in this league,” McKinney told reporters. “I would rather get fined and try to help my team out, because I see what’s going on and it’s killing us. We all see it. Everybody (sees) it.
“I’m looking at the plays and I’m like, ‘Why are you calling this? It don’t even make any sense, and the fact that you’re not even reviewing what you’re calling. You’re just calling it.’ … It’s a lot of s*** that doesn’t make sense right now.”
But he didn’t stop there. McKinney continued to blast the refs in an almost defiant way as if he was daring the NFL to fine him.
“I’m not a big fan of the refs right now,” McKinney continued. “Don’t think it’s great officiating, if I’m being completely honest. I think it’s bull s*** a lot of the time. Think there are drives where they make calls that don’t even make any sense. … it just be bull s*** that’s going on, bull s*** calls.
“I can’t really tell you because sometimes we’re not getting the same calls for our quarterback, we’re not getting the same calls for our offensive guy, so I just don’t understand it. It really don’t matter if it’s home or away — it’s kind of been consistent throughout the year. It’s not to make it as an excuse, but I say it’s got to go both ways.”
Many Agreed With McKinney’s Referee Criticism
Green Bay was flagged twice more for roughing the passer against Detroit, pushing its season total to eight, while quarterback Jordan Love has yet to draw one.
Packers edge-rusher Brenton Cox Jr. got flagged in the third quarter after he was blocked into Lions QB Jared Goff. Then on Detroit’s game-winning drive, defensive tackle Karl Brooks was hit with another roughing call that tacked 15 yards onto an 18-yard Sam LaPorta catch.
Oh, and defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt was also flagged for unnecessary roughness on a hit on Amon-Ra St. Brown.
The calls were so egregious that even Fox’s Tom Brady had to say something during the broadcast.
“Goff standing in the pocket — my goodness, what is that?” Brady exclaimed after a roughing-the-passer call. “There’s no way. Brooks on the tackle, he just kind of makes a great play. It’s a bang-bang play. He just rolls off his body. It’s a great throw by Goff. That’s definitely not roughing the passer.”
After a phantom unnecessary roughness call on Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes, Brady again got heated.
“Oh, come on man. … He’s just turning his right shoulder away from it. That’s allowed 99 (times) out of 100. It’s a bang-bang play. … When you’re on the field you’ve got to pursue that ball. If he catches it, he needs force to knock him on the ground. He needs force to knock that ball off him as a pass-defender. He can’t go in there and (just) put his hand on him.”
NFL Comes Down Hard on Packers Pro Bowler After Harsh Criticism of Officials