Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney let his distaste for the officiating be known following his team’s loss to the Detroit Lions last weekend. After besting the Carolina Panthers at home on Thursday Night Football in Week 8, he talked openly about the fallout from that decision.
Rob Demovsky of ESPN reported McKinney’s comments on X.
The minimum fine for criticizing officials is $25,000. He wouldn’t say exactly how much but laughed and said it wasn’t less than that.
But he also said it was worth
“Packers safety Xavier McKinney said he did get fined for his postgame comments after Sunday’s loss to the Lions. The minimum fine for criticizing officials is $25,000,” Demovsky wrote. “He wouldn’t say exactly how much, but laughed and said it wasn’t less than that. But he also said it was worth it to support his team.”
Demovsky then quoted McKinney directly.
“I make enough money, so I’ll be OK,” the safety said.
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McKinney’s original comments were lengthy and highly critical of the officiating in a game Green Bay lost at Ford Field by a score of 20-17.
During that contest, the Packers were on the wrong end of multiple questionable flags that included a roughing the passer call on pass-rusher Brenton Cox Jr. and another for intentional grounding against quarterback Jordan Love. Both penalties cost Green Bay 15 yards at high leverage moments of the game and in critical spots on the field.
“It’s kinda [bleeping] up the games if I’m being honest,” McKinney said during his postgame interview in the locker room. “They gonna fine you for anything at this point in this league, so I would rather get fined and try to help my team out because I see what is going on and I see it’s killing us.
“Everybody sees what’s going on,” he added. “We see what’s going on when we are out there.”
Xavier McKinney Among Best Players on Improving Packers Defense
McKinney has proven an elite safety since joining the Packers two years ago, earning All-Pro honors in each of his two campaigns in Green Bay.
Now 28 years old, McKinney currently leads the NFL in interceptions with three of them through eight games. He’s also added 34 tackles, four pass breakups and a sack for a Packers defense that hounded Panthers QB Bryce Young on Thursday night and is trending up with the prospect of Micah Parsons’ return to practice looming in the near future.
McKinney inked a four-year contract worth $67 million in 2024 that runs through the 2027 campaign.
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