The Green Bay Packers took back first place in the NFC North division in Sunday’s win over the Chicago Bears, and cornerback Keisean Nixon was a big part of it.
The Packers got out to an early 14-3 lead, and the Bears’ lone points of the first half came on a drive aided by two Nixon penalties. One was an unnecessary roughness personal foul.
However, as the Bears battled back in the second half, it was Nixon’s interception in the end zone that sealed the deal for the Packers and propelled Green Bay to the win at Lambeau Field.
What Does Micah Parsons Think Of Keisean Nixon?
Nixon’s journey to stardom with the Packers is one you have to love. The cornerback went undrafted in 2019 and signed with the then-Oakland Raiders.
The former South Carolina cornerback played in 40 games over three seasons with the Raiders, but started just two games.
However, he showed enough promise at that time that the Packers brought him in 2022, and since then, he has continued to improve. He made his mark in the return game, earning All-Pro honors in 2022 and 2023, and the Packers slowly integrated him into a consistent role on defense.
When Green Bay moved on from cornerback Jaire Alexander, it was Nixon’s turn to fill in to that No. 1 role, and he had experience with that due to Alexander’s injury history.
Nixon has played in every single game since he arrived in Green Bay and has started 41 games over the last three years, missing just six starts.
He’s developed into a leader on the Packers defense and has already earned full respect from his All-Pro teammate, linebacker Micah Parsons.
“Short-man syndrome, little scrappy motherf—er. He’s so scrappy. He’s not to be played with, bro,” Parsons said. “He’s small in size, but he’s like a pitbull. He’s scrappy on the outside. He knows when to turn it on.
“He always finds a way, and he’s incredibly smart. I don’t think people give him much credit.”
Nixon is just 5-foot-10-inches and 200 pounds. That’s not a lot of size for an NFL corner, but often, when you have a size disadvantage, it’s because of the effort you put into combat.
That’s exactly the result for Nixon. Parsons said the Packers’ corners’ ability to step up in the screen game and create pass breakups doesn’t go unnoticed.
For Nixon’s size, Parsons said, he plays like one of the top cornerbacks in the league.
“A lot of people look at Pat Surtain II, Darrelle Revis, of how to describe corners of height, ability,” Parsons said. “I think people give him a lot of s–t. He’s having a hell of a year, and he’s having a better year than some of the highest-paid guys. So, I think people should give him more grace than what’s been given to him.”
MORE: 2026 3-Round NFL Mock Draft: Jets, Raiders Trade Up for Quarterbacks in Round 1
To Parsons’ point, Nixon is ranked No. 15 among all cornerbacks in the NFL this season, according to PFSN’s CB Impact.
That ranking was coming into the weekend, when Nixon had not had an interception on the year. The Packers’ cornerback ranks No. 2 in the NFL with 11 pass breakups and No. 3 in the NFL in pass breakups plus interceptions, which shows how impressive that PBU number is.
Nixon is just seven spots behind Surtan, three spots behind New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez, and tied with Houston Texans’ cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.
The Packers’ cornerback is ahead of players like Jalen Ramsey, Trent McDuffie, Jaycee Horn, and Carlton Davis III.
Nixon is a rising star on the Packers’ defense, and his personality comes through in his play. He may get a little overanimated in the game, but he’s also going to make the big play when you need him to.
