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Packers Safety Xavier McKinney Hit With $25,000 NFL Fine After Harsh Post-Game Referee Rant
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- Packers Safety Xavier McKinney Hit With $25,000 NFL Fine After Harsh Post-Game Referee Rant
The Green Bay Packers defeated the Carolina Panthers 27-19 on Thursday night to improve to 5-3, yet attention has stayed on safety Xavier McKinney. The veteran defender has been a dependable presence in the secondary, and his pointed remarks about the officiating after the 20-17 loss at Detroit continue to circulate. The league has now weighed in, and the details raise questions about officiating consistency.
NFL fines Xavier McKinney $25,000 after officiating criticism
Insider Adam Schefter reported on Saturday that the NFL fined McKinney $25,000 for his postgame criticism of officials. His blunt officiating callout after the Lions loss now carries a real price.
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"I'm not a big fan of the refs right now… I think it's b***s**t a lot of the times," McKinney told reporters.
He also said Green Bay was not seeing the same calls for its quarterback, Jordan Love .
"We're not seeing the same calls for our quarterback. We're not seeing the same calls for our offensive guys." McKinney added that the calls were hurting the team's momentum and drives.
Oct 18, 2026; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney (29) and head coach Matt LaFleur react after the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Ross Harried-Imagn Images
Several flags shaped that game. Detroit's winning drive included a roughing the passer call on defender Karl Brooks. An unnecessary roughness flag on Devonte Wyatt also gave the Lions a first down at the 11-yard line, and they scored two plays later. Green Bay was flagged eight times for 81 yards, while Detroit had five penalties for 50 yards.
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The fine landed less than a week after the loss on Oct. 25. It also keeps the focus on how closely the league watches what players say about the whistle.
McKinney's play on the field also helps explain why his voice carries weight in the locker room.
Xavier McKinney's strong season gives his words extra weight
McKinney, 28, has backed up his talk with strong play. Through seven starts, he shares the NFL lead with three interceptions and has 31 tackles and one sack, per Field Level Media. He also posted a season-high 10 tackles against the Lions. Fellow players also voted him No. 70 on this year's NFL Top 100 list.
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The two-time All-Pro safety was not shy about fines either. McKinney also said, "They're going to fine you for anything in this league at this point."
Head coach Matt LaFleur took a calmer approach, saying he could share his true thoughts but felt it would not help. Green Bay still found a way to bounce back, as Love threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns and Josh Jacobs scored twice in the win over Carolina.
Green Bay (5-3) now travels to face the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 8, with kickoff at 4:25 p.m. ET on Fox. The Patriots entered Week 8 at 4-3, so McKinney and the defense should expect a tough test.
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