In what is certainly just a coincidence, the Green Bay Packers signed an All-American kickoff returner just a day after All-Pro Keisean Nixon said he no longer wants to return kickoffs in a league using the “dynamic” kickoff.
The intriguing addition to the offseason roster is speedy receiver Tulu Griffin, who led the nation in kickoff return average in 2022, scored kickoff return touchdowns in 2021 and 2022 and finished his collegiate career at Mississippi State with 1,640 kickoff return yards. Griffin, who signed a futures deal with the Packers, runs 4.4 in the 40-yard dash and is a dynamic player with the ball in his hands despite a lack of size (5-10, 181).
Griffin was voted an All-American kickoff returner for several publications coming off the 2022 season.
While most players signed to futures deals are longshots, it’s possible Griffin will get a chance to succeed Nixon returning kickoffs in Green Bay.
Nixon was an All-Pro after leading the league in returns and kickoff return yards in both 2022 and 2023. He returned only 18 kickoffs and had just one return over 40 yards during the 2024 season.
Nixon isn’t only frustrated with the new kickoff rules, but his focus entering the 2025 season appears to be developing as a perimeter cornerback after he moved from the slot to the outside and thrived to end the 2024 season.
Coach Matt LaFleur said he’d talk with Nixon following his comments during locker cleanout day, so it’s possible Nixon will be convinced of staying on returns for Rich Bisaccia’s special teams in 2025. But if Nixon truly is a starter at cornerback, and another option like Griffin emerges, it’d make sense to take him off returns.
Griffin averaged an FBS-best 32.3 yards per kickoff return in 2023 and averaged over 30.0 yards per kickoff return during each of his first three seasons at Mississippi State. Across 54 career returns, Griffin averaged 30.2 yards with touchdown returns of 100 yards (2021) and 92 (2022).
The Packers are unlikely to keep a player on the 53-man roster who only returns kickoffs, given how infrequently the play actually happens even with new kickoff rules. Griffin would have to prove capable as a receiver or gadget weapon within LaFleur’s offense to have a chance. During his final collegiate season, Griffin caught 50 passes, averaged 2.25 yards per route run, had six catches of over 20 yards and forced 11 missed tackles.
Griffin went undrafted in 2024. He signed the Las Vegas Raiders after the draft and later spent time on the practice squad of the Cleveland Browns after being released by the Raiders at the end of training camp. Over two preseason games, Griffin returned three kickoffs for 90 yards, averaging 30.0 per return.