During the 2024 NFL offseason, the Green Bay Packers, who normally do not sign big-name free agents, signed two of the best players on the market. This included Josh Jacobs, arguably the best free agent running back, and Xavier McKinney, arguably the best free agent safety.
Both Jacobs and McKinney went on to make the Pro Bowl in their first season with Green Bay, and McKinney also was named First Team All-Pro.
On Sunday, the Packers will face the 2-8 New York Giants, McKinney’s former team, for the first time since signing the All-Pro safety away from them. And while facing his former team does carry some great meaning in and of itself for him, McKinney believes this game is also significant for other reasons.
Xavier McKinney believes the Green Bay Packers “must” beat the New York Giants
Sep 7, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney (29) during the game against the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
At 5-3-1, the Packers have not had what one could call a bad season thus far. However, after two losses in a row, hopes are dim among fans. Frustrations are high, too, on offense, as Green Bay as lost each of the last two games despite allowing a combined 26 points on defense.
Unfortunately, as the Packers have lost each of their last two games, other contenders in the NFC and NFC North have been winning. Now Green Bay sits at third in the division and seventh in the conference standings.
Indeed, it certainly seems as if this upcoming matchup against New York is as close to a “must win” as any NFL team can have at this point in the season, a notion that is shared by McKinney himself:
Xavier McKinney on Sunday’s game at the Giants:
“I think it’s a must win. I think we’ve put ourselves kind of in a sticky situation.”
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) November 12, 2025
Following their game against the Giants, the Packers play four of their next five games against NFC North rivals, including each of their next three contests.
A win against New York on Sunday will, at the very least, help Green Bay keep pace with the rest of the division while also setting them up to take it if they can win their divisional games this season.
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