Green Bay's Xavier McKinney becomes first since merger to have INT in first 5 games with team
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Green Bay safety Xavier McKinney became the first NFL player since the 1970 merger to have an interception in his first five games with a team after picking off a pass during the third quarter of Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams.
McKinney — signed by the Packers during the offseason after four seasons with the New York Giants — reached the milestone with 8:10 remaining in the third when he picked off Matthew Stafford's overthrown pass intended for Tutu Atwell. McKinney hauled it in at the Green Bay 18-yard line and returned it 28 yards.
The Packers would convert the interception into a 7-yard touchdown reception by Tucker Kraft to extend their lead to 24-13.
McKinney tied Irv Comp's run of five straight in 1943 for the longest interception streak in franchise history.
McKinney leads the league with five picks and is the third player since 2000 with an interception in each of his team's first five games of a season, joining Trevon Diggs (2021 with Dallas) and Brian Russell (2003 with Minnesota). Diggs and Russell had six-game streaks to start their seasons.
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