Keisean Nixon has the funniest possible reaction to Lions' elimination, and it shows the Packers rivalry is heating up
The Detroit Lions seemed like the strongest team in the NFC for most of the regular season, and that included two wins over the Green Bay Packers. Well, it didn't matter much in the playoffs. Too much was talked about by Lions' players ahead of the Packers games and after Green Bay lost to the […]
The Detroit Lions seemed like the strongest team in the NFC for most of the regular season, and that included two wins over the Green Bay Packers. Well, it didn't matter much in the playoffs.
Too much was talked about by Lions' players ahead of the Packers games and after Green Bay lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild card round, but ultimately the Lions were also one-and-done in the playoffs, having lost to the Washington Commanders last Saturday.
That sequence did not go unnoticed by the Packers locker room. The funniest mention came from cornerback and kickoff returner Keisean Nixon.
The Packers hadn’t seen the Lions as a big rival for much of their recent history. But with Detroit becoming one of the top teams in the NFC, it’s certainly getting more intriguing.
Former undrafted free agent, Keisean Nixon started his career with the Oakland (and then Las Vegas) Raiders. He signed with the Packers in 2022, and last offseason he reached a three-year extension to stay in Green Bay through the 2026 season.
Nixon was a First-Team All-Pro twice, in 2022 and 2023, as a kickoff returner—something he might not be wanting to do moving forward.
In 2024, Nixon established himself as a starting outside cornerback, something particularly important for the Packers if Jaire Alexander doesn't stay around next season.
Safety Xavier McKinney was saltier. When he was named a First-Team All-Pro, he had posted a cryptic message. Now, it's clear that it was directed to fellow First-Team All-Pro and rival Kerby Joseph, who had some rough plays against the Washington Commanders.
The NFC North was the best division in football in the regular season, but left the playoffs with no wins and three losses—Packers to the Eagles, Minnesota Vikings to the Los Angeles Rams, and Lions to the Commanders.
Next season, the rivalry will heat up again. And it's getting more and more compelling to watch it.
Keisean Nixon has a fair expectation for his future, but it creates another problem for the Packers
Nixon is under contract for two more seasons
