New York Giants safety Xavier McKinney was poised to take the next step in his development in 2022, perhaps to a Pro Bowl level. But then he broke three fingers on his left hand in an ATV accident during the Giants’ Week 9 bye week and was sidelined for the next seven weeks.
When McKinney returned in Week 17, he started in the Giants’ 38-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts with his hand heavily wrapped and protected. He would do so in the Giants’ two postseason games as well.
This offseason, McKinney stayed local to work out and rehab the hand. He does not intend to let the hand injury — or any protective gear he may wear — derail his future plans.
“Either way, I’m going to play at a high level,” McKinney told reporters at the Giants’ first offseason workout on Monday. “and I’m going to leave it at that.”
McKinney will be relied on to lead the Giants’ safety group now that Julian Love has moved on via free agency (to Seattle). He’s ready.
“I’m 100 percent, for sure. That wasn’t a ‘kind of’ thing. I know that,” McKinney said. “The games that I played with the cast, I was still able to make a huge impact.”
That is true. In his return versus the Colts, McKinney made seven total stops with a pass defensed. In the Giants’ two playoff games, against Minnesota and Philadelphia, he recorded eight tackles in each contest.
The Giants replaced Love with veteran Bobby McCain and have a room of young players they are high on in Jason Pinnock, Dane Belton, Trenton Thompson, and Terrell Burgess, so the safety group has a lot to prove in 2023.
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