Did Xavier McKinney call one of his former Giants teammates?
McKinney, now with the Packers, shared a cryptic message on his Instagram Story Friday night.
“To think he ever thought he was better than me and that they would try to push it…lol,” McKinney wrote. “Oh, somebody tell my buddy to hop hop.” [sic] Stop talking about Melo's podcast and get back to your work.
“Yes, there is always smoke…remember!” Write it down and take a photo IDGAF!”
Friday night Instagram story. screen grab
Around the same time, McKinney also posted to X.
“We are not the same,” McKinney wrote.
McKinney did not say who he was talking about.
He spent the first four years of his career with the Giants, emerging as one of the best safeties in the NFL before signing a four-year, $67 million contract with the Packers as a free agent this offseason.
And McKinney flourished in Green Bay, where he was named to the All-Pro first team.
He also had eight interceptions, the second-most in the league.
McKinney and the Packers are scheduled to face the Eagles in the wild-card round, but the Giants finished the season with a dismal 3-14 record.
Giants outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeau, who was teammates with McKinney for two years, gained attention after appearing on Carmelo Anthony's podcast “7 PM in Brooklyn.'' In the January 25, 2024 episode of the show. — Almost a full year ago.
During the episode, Thibodeau compared his role as a pass rusher to that of a safety.
“I played the hardest and easiest position in the NFL,” Thibodeau said. “It's the hardest because when you talk about size and strength and force output and when you talk about the physics of it, offensive linemen are the most dangerous. Other than the safeties coming down at full speed, it's the offensive linemen who are the most dangerous. Physically hitting and pressing on every play — I'm 250 years old. [pounds]. O-lineman average is 320 [pounds]. You're talking about the mindset I have to have and liking Lawrence Taylor and guys that are committed to defense. ”
Thibodeau addressed the safe position on another occasion in the episode.
“Do I want to play offensively? No, I don't want to play offensively,” Thibodeau said. “What people are missing [about] D-lineman, people always think D-lineman is the stupidest guy. It has the least impact on us. I'm two steps ahead of these safeties and linebackers even though they have the same amount of impact. A guy like Ray Lewis? As long as he's been playing, I don't know how he's played. God is good. ”
But those comments seem more like praising the safe position than criticizing it.
