Packer Central

Packers Pro Bowlers: Josh Jacobs, Xavier McKinney, Rashan Gary

Three Green Bay Packers were named to the 2025 Pro Bowl Games roster, while Jordan Love is an alternate at quarterback.

Bill Huber

Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney (29) returns an interception against the San Francisco 49ers.
Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney (29) returns an interception against the San Francisco 49ers. / Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst had one heck of a free agency.

His two big additions last offseason, safety Xavier McKinney and running back Josh Jacobs, were voted to the 2025 Pro Bowl Games, the league announced on Thursday. Rashan Gary was selected, as well.

McKinney, who ranks second in the NFL with seven interceptions, and the Cardinals’ Budda Baker are the starting safeties, and the Lions’ Brian Branch is the lone reserve.

Along with big-time production, McKinney quickly emerged as a team leader on a defense that has played without veteran cornerback Jaire Alexander for most of the season.

“We just got to prepare the right way,” McKinney said on Wednesday after it was announced Alexander had surgery.

“I fully trust in the guys in our room. I’ve been saying for a long time, we have a lot of talented guys, a lot of guys who are smart and can adjust on the fly. I feel good about our group. Obviously, we have guys who are being called upon each week. I feel really good about this group and what we have.”

Jacobs was joined in the backfield by the Eagles’ Saquon Barkley (starter) and the Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs.

Jacobs is fifth in the NFL with 1,285 rushing yards, second with 14 rushing touchdowns and third with 66 forced missed tackles.

“I don’t think you really know about somebody until you’re around them on a daily basis, and that you get to learn about the person,” coach Matt LaFleur said on Wednesday. “Obviously, the player is the player, a guy that we’ve held in high regard since he came out of Alabama.

“He obviously has been doing it at a high level for a long time now, but just to see him on a daily basis, how he comes in, and he’s all about his business and he puts in the extra time. He does a great job of putting his arm around some of the younger guys as well and lifting them up and giving them a boost. And he’s just been a catalyst for this team in terms of just how to approach the game. And then his performance, I think, speaks for itself.”

At defensive end, the Cowboys’ Micah Parsons and the 49ers’ Nick Bosa are the starters, and Gary is the lone reserve.

Gary has only 6.5 sacks. In the seven games since the bye, he has four sacks and 24 of his 44 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s cranked up his run defense, as well.

“He just looks more comfortable, and I think a lot of guys do because he’s playing faster and he’s thinking less,” defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said last week. “I think we have a better grasp of who he is and what he can do well, and I think he has a comfort level right now in what he’s doing.

“He has played better and he’s gotten a lot of pressure, but he’s playing the run game better too, and that’s the sign of an unselfish player. He’s using his hands, he’s setting edges, he’s getting off blocks, he’s running to the ball.”

Left guard Elgton Jenkins is a first alternate.

Quarterback Jordan Love leads a large contingent of alternates. The others are center Josh Myers, tight end Tucker Kraft, defensive tackle Kenny Clark, cornerback Jaire Alexander and returner Keisean Nixon.

Love was beaten out by the Lions’ Jared Goff, the Vikings’ Sam Darnold and Washington Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels. The Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield is the first alternate.

All but four teams had at least one player selected to the roster. The Packers were one of 22 teams with multiple selections.

The Baltimore Ravens led all teams with nine, followed by the Detroit Lions (seven), Minnesota Vikings (six), Philadelphia Eagles (six), Dallas Cowboys (five) and Kansas City Chiefs (five).

This year’s Pro Bowl Games will feature a flag-football game between the NFC and AFC on Sunday, Feb. 2, in Orlando, Fla. In addition, there will be a Pro Bowl Skills Competition on Thursday, Jan. 30.

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Bill Huber
BILL HUBER

Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packers On SI, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: packwriter2002@yahoo.com History: Huber took over Packer Central in August 2019. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillHuberNFL Background: Huber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played on the football team, in 1995. He worked in newspapers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Shawano before working at The Green Bay News-Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1998 through 2008. With The News-Chronicle, he won several awards for his commentaries and page design. In 2008, he took over as editor of Packer Report Magazine, which was founded by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke, and PackerReport.com. In 2019, he took over the new Sports Illustrated site Packer Central, which he has grown into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.