Packers Newcomer Defends Love: 'Hate Comes from His Unapologetic Style'

Green Bay, WI – July 15, 2025
When the Green Bay Packers landed star safety Xavier McKinney on a four-year, $68 million deal this offseason, most fans saw it as a crucial upgrade for the defense. But few could have predicted that before ever playing a regular-season snap at Lambeau, McKinney would make headlines off the field—not for his play, but for his candor.

As Wisconsin sports talk shows and social media lit up with debates about Jordan Love’s polarizing journey as the Packers’ quarterback, it was McKinney—new to Green Bay, but already fiercely loyal—who stepped into the conversation, publicly defending his teammate.

“People didn’t start hating Love because he won too much. They hated him because he dared to play the game his own way—and never apologized for it,” McKinney told ESPN after a training camp session. “You want to know what real greatness looks like? It’s not just numbers. It’s attitude. It’s believing in yourself when everyone wants you to fit their mold. Jordan has never tried to be anyone else, and that makes some folks uncomfortable.”

Since stepping into the Packers’ starting role, Love has been both celebrated and doubted. His improvisational style, calm confidence, and refusal to be defined by the shadow of Aaron Rodgers have earned him admirers and critics alike, especially as Green Bay charts a new era in the NFC North.

For McKinney, who faced Love multiple times as a Giant before joining the Packers, this new opportunity is about more than just playing for a contender—it’s about defending the culture and the leader at its heart. The lucrative contract—guaranteeing $38 million—brings a hard-hitting, outspoken presence to a team hungry to return to the top.

But it’s McKinney’s public defense of Love that has resonated most in the locker room. “It takes guts to be different in this league,” he added. “I’m proud to play with a quarterback who’s not afraid to be himself. That’s the type of energy I want to be around.”

With Packers camp underway and expectations high, Green Bay is once again eyeing a deep playoff run. And with new voices like McKinney speaking up on and off the field, the Packers’ unity and swagger look as strong as ever.

Stay tuned to ESPN for more from Packers training camp as the countdown to the new NFL season continues.