Since taking over as the primary kick and punt returner for the Green Bay Packers, Keisean Nixon has produced like one of the best returners in the NFL.
Nixon, a free agent addition in 2022, ranks second in the league in kickoff return yards (617, trails leader by 3 yards) and fifth in kickoff return average (24.7, trails leaders by 1.1), and he would rank third in punt return average (14.0) if he had enough attempts to qualify.
Overall, Nixon is one of only two returners who average at least 24.0 yards per kickoff return and 10.0 yards per punt return, joining New England’s Marcus Jones.
Nixon is also the No. 1 graded returner and No. 1 graded kickoff returner at Pro Football Focus through 13 weeks.
Nixon has four kickoff returns of at least 30 yards and additional two returns over 50 yards. He also has the Packers’ longest punt return of the season at 24 yards.
Nixon has been so good that he’s officially gotten the quarterback’s attention.
“He has been so important for us, changing the kicking game,” Aaron Rodgers said following the Packers’ win over the Chicago Bears.
Rodgers is now asking Nixon to take kickoffs out of the end zone in an attempt to create an explosive play.
“For a long time here, I don’t mean this as disrespect, but it’s just the facts. For a long time, when that ball is up in the air on kickoffs, I am thinking, ‘Stay in, stay in. Don’t bring it out.’ Just not a lot of good stuff happened,” Rodgers said. “I always tell Keisean now when he is about to go out there, I say, ‘Bring it out. Bring that out.’ Just because he brings an extra type of juice to our football team.”
Nixon has at least 100 kickoff return yards in four straight games, becoming the first Packers returner to accomplish the feat since Steve Odom in 1975.
He’s only been the Packers’ primary kickoff returner since Week 6, and he just recently took over punt return duties after Amari Rodgers was released last month.
Nixon making the Pro Bowl will require a few more splash returns and probably at least one touchdown. Vikings running back Kene Nwangwu, who leads the NFL in kickoff return yards (620) and kickoff return average (25.8) and has one of only three kickoff return touchdowns this season, currently leads the Pro Bowl vote at returner in the NFC.
Nixon is a free agent following the 2022 season. He’s become a valuable player at cornerback for the Packers, and his contributions as an explosive, big-play returner have become undeniably important to the special teams.
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