Without a doubt, running back Josh Jacobs and defensive back Xavier McKinney both made positive marks in their first season with the Green Bay Packers. Both players were free agent pickups by the Packers during the offseason that preceded the 2024 NFL campaign, and each made the team’s front office look good with their excellent play right away.
Apart from their effectiveness on the field, Jacobs and McKinney also provided great leadership qualities for the Packers, who finished the 2024 season with an 11-6 record.
Jacobs and McKinney took it upon themselves to lead by example. As former teammates in college with the Alabama Crimson Tide, Jacobs and McKinney likely used that common background to make it easier for them to communicate with each other.
“Before every game, I’d go up to him and say, ‘It starts with me and you,’” Jacobs said, per Total Packers (h/t Mark Inabinett of AOL.com). “I always tell him, like, ‘Man, look, if we’re starting off with the ball, I’m going to turn you up, so you come in and hold that standard.’”
Josh Jacobs, Xavier McKinney played their parts well in 2024
With Jacobs setting the tone on the ground for the Packers’ offense, Green Bay managed to rank sixth in the NFL with 144.6 rushing yards per game during the regular season. And McKinney leading the secondary, the Packers went eighth in the league against the pass with only 209.9 passing yards allowed per game while also ranking fourth with a 2.9 percent defensive interception rate. McKinney had eight interceptions himself – second-most in the league.
Expect Jacobs and McKinney to keep the same energy in 2025, as the Packers look to surpass what they’ve accomplished in 2024.
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