Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon recently said he feels like he’s being “punished” by being required to compete for a starting job, which includes Nixon taking second-team reps. On Tuesday, coach Matt LaFleur was asked about Nixon’s comment.
“He loves making a headline, doesn’t he?” LaFleur said with a smile before the question was over.
“Yeah, you guys will take it different than me, because the way I look at it is this: Then I guess our whole team is being punished, because everybody’s in competition,” LaFleur said. “So I’m a big believer that competition will bring the best out of people. And I want everybody to play with a chip on their shoulder. If they feel like they have something to prove, you’re probably gonna get more out of them.”
LaFleur made it clear he’s not upset about Nixon’s remark.
“I love Kei,” LaFleur said. “He’s been awesome since the day he’s been here. I don’t read any of that stuff. . . . I’m not gonna micromanage what everybody says, and if he feels a certain type of way, I mean, it is what it is, but I do think that, you know, it’s a benefit to the team to have people that you feel are capable to go in there and play, and we’ll all be better for that. So, like I said, whether it’s at corner, it’s the offensive line, I mean, really, every spot is — you better come to compete, each and every day, if you want to be out there.”
Nixon remains listed as a starter, ahead of Benjamin St-Juste. And Nixon, who made the Pro Bowl as an alternate last season, surely wants to be on the field as much as possible in 2026. It’s a contract year, and he’ll want as many chances as possible to make a good impression on his Packers or, if necessary, one of the other 31 teams.
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