Keisean Nixon says Packers let the 49ers 'off the hook' in 2023 playoffs, team on mission to win the Super Bowl

The Green Bay Packers aren't messing around in 2024. The youngest team in the NFL was a feel-good story last season. The Packers not only advanced to the playoffs, but they dominated their wild card game and had the NFC's top-seeded team on the ropes a week later.

They want more.

Their attendance at the team's voluntary organized team activities shows that. The team had 90 of the 91 players on the roster present at Tuesday's OTAs.

All-Pro kickoff returner and cornerback Keisean Nixon knows why — how the 2023 season ended.

"I feel like we let a team off the hook last year in the playoffs and we know that," Nixon said, referring to the Packers' 24-21 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC divisional playoff game. "Everybody on this team on a mission. We ready to win a Super Bowl. We all here locked in, and it showed we ain't nothing to play with."

The seventh-seeded Packers had a chance to knock off the mighty 49ers in the playoff game. They had just throttled the second-seeded Dallas Cowboys the week before on the road and led the 49ers, 21-14, heading into the fourth quarter with a chance to go to the NFC title game.

The final 15 minutes of the Packers' season, however, were filled with mistakes — an interception, a punt, a missed field goal and another interception.

The 49ers took advantage of these miscues and defeated the Packers in the playoffs for a fifth straight time. They would go on to the Super Bowl for the second time in five seasons. The Packers went home disappointed about a missed opportunity but optimistic for the future.

That includes Nixon. Here are a few more takeaways from his media session:

Keisean Nixon on re-signing with the Packers

Nixon, who's both a kickoff returner and nickel cornerback, re-signed with the Packers in the offseason. He joined the team ahead of the 2022 season and was an instant spark at returns when he took over that job.

"I’m happy I was back here," Nixon said. "This is where I wanted to be. I didn’t want to go anywhere else. I'm happy my agent and Gutey (Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst) got everything done. And here for at least another three (years)."

Keisean Nixon has nickname for new teammate Xavier McKinney

Nixon also got a new teammate in the Packers' secondary this offseason: Xavier McKinney, who'll lead a revamped safety group.

"I call him the terminator," Nixon said about the 25-year-old McKinney, who played his first four seasons with the New York Giants. "X, he's a good leader. I feel comfortable like him being behind me. We're going to be good."

Keisean Nixon looking forward to playing in Jeff Hafley's 'run and hit' defense

Nixon and the defense will be led by a new coordinator. Jeff Hafley replaced Joe Barry, who was fired after three underperforming seasons.

Nixon is on board with Hafley's kind of defense.

"Run and hit," Nixon said, smiling.

Hafley has worked in the NFL and college and will use the 4-2-5 nickel as a primary setup. But he has indicated he'll also be flexible with the scheme to maximize the players' abilities.

"I played in his (type of) defense my last year with the Raiders," Nixon said. "So, I'm comfortable with it. I like coach Haf. I like what he bringing to the table and his defense."

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Keisean Nixon says Packers let 49ers 'off the hook' in 2023 playoffs