A Century Apart: Xavier McKinney and Ojay Larson

 By Eric Goska

Xavier McKinney (29) during training camp in August.
(photo by Eric Goska)

Xavier McKinney has intercepted a pass in each of Green Bay’s four games this season.

That is impressive to be sure, but not without precedent. Over the years, 10 other Packers stole at least one pass in four or more consecutive contests.

The question then: whose record is McKinney chasing?

McKinney, whom the Packers signed during the first few days of free agency in March, has exceeded expectations. No fewer than four quarterbacks can vouch for that.

McKinney picked off the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts in the first quarter in Brazil. Nine days later, he snagged a pass from the Colts’ Anthony Richardson in the same period in Green Bay’s home opener.

Demonstrating he can strike at any time, McKinney poached Will Levis of the Titans in the fourth quarter and Sam Darnold of the Vikings in the third.

All but the first interception occurred within 20 yards of the Packers’ end zone.

In pilfering the pigskin, McKinney became the first player in team history to intercept a pass in each of his first four games with the team. He went one further than linebacker John Anderson who had one or more in each of his first three games as a rookie in 1978.

But McKinney is not the first to come away with one in four straight games. He shares that honor with Charlie Mathys (1923), Johnny Blood (1929), Don Hutson (1942), Bobby Dillon (1957), John Symank (twice in 1957 and once in 1961) and Nick Collins (2009).

Three players – Eddie Kotal (1928), Lavvie Dilweg (1928-29) and Irv Comp (1943) had streaks of five. And one player, the all-but-forgotten Ojay Larson, waylaid at least one pass six games running.

The Packers say Comp is the record holder. His run of five straight helped him to a club record 10 picks as a rookie.

That said, the team either does not recognize or is unaware of the exploits of those men who toiled during the game’s early years. But we here at Pro Football Journal believe all players, regardless of when they played, should be recognized for their exploits. And Larson, a center who played 13 games for Green Bay during his only season with the team (1925) belongs at the top of the heap.

Colorized photo courtesy of John Maxymuk
and Packers Past Perfect

Larson, who played collegiately at Notre Dame, was a Bear (1922) and a Milwaukee Badger (1923-24) before signing with the Packers. The Green Bay Press-Gazette had this to say about him shortly after he autographed his contract.

“The new Packer has always been considered a great center. He was not pleased with his berth on the Milwaukee club and jumped at the chance to get a ‘change of pasture.’”

Larson swiped his first pass for Green Bay in Week 4 against his old team, the Badgers. The 6-foot-1, 199-pounder redirected Shorty Barr’s third throw of the game. Five plays later, Curly Lambeau connected with Marty Norton from 28 yards out as the Packers recorded their first touchdown in a 31-0 rout of their southern neighbor.

A week later, Larson did the same to Roddy Lamb. The turnover sparked a 6-play, 25-yard drive capped by Myrt Basing’s 1-yard plunge – the first of his two rushing touchdowns – as Green Bay blanked Rock Island 20-0.

Over the next four weeks, Larson gave the Jeffersons, Badgers, Cardinals and Triangles the same treatment. He doubled-dipped against Rochester.

Green Bay went 5-1 during Larson’s 6-game spree. The team’s only loss occurred in Chicago where Paddy Driscoll booted a 27-yard field goal with less than a minute left to lift the Cardinals to a 9-6 victory.

Larson’s run ended after the Packers handed Dayton a 7-0 loss. Green Bay (7-2) then dropped three of its last four to finish 8-5 winding up ninth among the 20 teams in the league that year.

In the penultimate game of the season, Larson injured his knee. As a result, his string of 12 straight starts ended a week later in Providence where he played only sparingly against the Steam Roller in the finale.

In August 1926, the Press-Gazette speculated that: “… it is not probable that Ojay Larson, the Packers’ 1925 center, will play any football on account of an injured knee that gave him considerable trouble last fall.”

Larson did return in 1929 where he played 17 games with both the Bears and Cardinals before hanging up his cleats for good. He died in May 1977 at the age of 79.