Xavier McKinney Marks His Spot in NFL Interception Rankings

Xavier McKinney isn’t just tied for the NFL lead in interceptions this season. He has more than most teams – including many more than the Giants, who let him sign with the Packers in free agency.

Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney (29) returns an interception against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday,. / Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Safety Xavier McKinney is having a historic year in his debut season with the Green Bay Packers.

McKinney has seven interceptions in 11 games.

For the Packers in the Super Bowl era, there have been only seven seasons better than McKinney is enjoying. Hall of Famer Charles Woodson had nine interceptions in 2009, when he won NFL Defensive Player of the Year, as did Darren Sharper in 2000, Mark Lee in 1986, Tom Flynn in 1984 and Willie Buchanan in 1978.

Woodson in 2006 and Bob Jeter in 1967 had eight interceptions.

That’s the short list of players ahead of McKinney, with the six-game stretch run to the season beginning on Thanksgiving night against the Miami Dolphins.

Among safeties, only Flynn and Sharper had more; Nick Collins was the last Packers safety to record seven picks in a season.

Irv Comp’s franchise-record 10 interceptions, set in 1943, has survived unmatched for eight decades but is in jeopardy.

“Obviously, that’s not the end goal,” McKinney said of winning NFC Defensive Player of the Month for October. “Obviously, it’s good to get that accomplishment and be able to get that accolade but, at the end of the day, there’s more to get and there’s more to do.”

What more is there to do?

Win a Super Bowl or three and be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“I want that (Hall of Fame gold) jacket, I want that statue of my face, all that stuff, man, I want it,” he told Sports Illustrated’s Greg Bishop. “To be remembered in this game.”

For Xavier McKinney, interceptions, streaks and history are great and all, but his ultimate goal is to trade in his safety superhero uniform for a gold jacket in Canton, writes @GregBishopSI https://t.co/eCr8t8xtbu

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) November 26, 2024

With intelligence and instincts, instincts and hands, the ball finds McKinney like a supermodel finds a camera.

With Green Bay enjoying a tenuous lead against the 49ers last week, he broke up a pass on fourth down and intercepted a pass on the next series to help Josh Jacobs break the game open.

McKinney has changed everything about Green Bay’s defense. Last year, it ranked 31st with seven interceptions. This year, it’s tied for seventh with 11.

Here is the NFL list for team interceptions, with added comments:

1. Minnesota Vikings: 16

2. Houston Texans: 15

3. Detroit Lions: 14

Lions safety Kerby Joseph and McKinney are tied for the NFL lead with seven interceptions.

4. Buffalo Bills: 13

T-5. Pittsburgh Steelers, New Orleans Saints: 12

Both teams feature a longtime star safety. The Saints’ Tyrann Mathieu has three interceptions while the Steelers’ Minkah Fitzpatrick has zero.

T-7. Green Bay Packers: 11

With six games remaining, Green Bay has four more interceptions and four more takeaways (22) than last season.

T-7. San Francisco 49ers: 11

9. Los Angeles Rams: 10

T-10. Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Chargers, Denver Broncos: 9

The Chargers’ Derwin James ranks second among safeties in annual salary. He has eight interceptions in six seasons and five over the last five seasons.

T-13: Indianapolis Colts, Seattle Seahawks, Dallas Cowboys: 8

Dallas’ Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker are making $7 million apiece, tied for 20th among safeties. They each have one interception.

T-16: Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons: 7

Thursday’s opponent, the Dolphins, has zero interceptions from its safeties. Neither do the Ravens, even with Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams as their touted starters.

Xavier McKinney, Packers: 7

McKinney has the most interceptions by a Packers player since Charles Woodson had seven in 2011 and the most by a Packers safety since Nick Collins’ seven in 2008. Last year’s starting safeties, Darnell Savage and Jonathan Owens, had zero interceptions.

T-20: Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs: 6

The Bengals signed Geno Smith, who had seven interceptions for the Ravens last season. He has one for Cincinnati. Arizona’s star safety, Budda Baker, has seven interceptions in eight seasons and none since 2022.

T-23: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers, Tennessee Titans: 5

The NFL’s highest-paid salary is Tampa Bay’s Antoine Winfield Jr., who has zero interceptions this season and seven in his five-year career.

T-28; Washington Commanders, New England Patriots: 4

New England’s Kyle Dugger ranks sixth in average salary among safeties. He has zero interceptions this season.

T-30: New York Jets, Cleveland Browns: 2

Aaron Rodgers has had his hand in personnel decisions. Maybe he should have had former GM Joe Douglas sign a safety. Their safeties have zero interceptions.

32. New York Giants: 1

McKinney had three interceptions for the Giants last year and five in 2021. Maybe they should have re-signed him.

“Yeah, I don’t know why people just act like it’s just out of nowhere,” McKinney told SI’s Bishop.

The Giants’ loss is the Packers gain, with McKinney being the ultimate X-factor.

“I feel like I’m on track,” he said.

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