Asante Samuel Jr.’s Monday Night Pick Highlights Packers’ Secondary Struggles After Brutal Week 15
Week 15 couldn’t have gone much worse for the Green Bay Packers. Not only did they suffer a tough loss on the field, but the injury report hit like a freight train.
Star linebacker Micah Parsons is now out for the season with a torn ACL, and wide receiver Christian Watson exited with a chest injury. Add in the fact that the Bears overtook them in the division standings after beating the Browns, and it’s safe to say the Packers are reeling.
Then came Monday Night Football - and another gut punch, this time from a player who isn’t on their roster.
Asante Samuel Jr., now suiting up for the Pittsburgh Steelers, made a highlight-reel interception in their win over the Dolphins. It was the kind of play that had Packers fans groaning - not just because it was impressive, but because it served as a reminder of what could’ve been.
The One That Got Away
Samuel Jr. visited Green Bay back in November after being medically cleared to return from spinal fusion surgery he underwent in April. The Packers were one of six teams he met with during his free-agent tour, and they had the first crack at signing him.
Ultimately, they passed. Pittsburgh didn’t.
At the time, the Packers felt good about their defensive depth. With Micah Parsons terrorizing quarterbacks and anchoring the defense, the secondary wasn’t under quite as much pressure. But now that Parsons is sidelined for the rest of the year, the cracks are starting to show - and fast.
Secondary Showing Signs of Strain
Keisean Nixon has had a tough 2025 season, and his struggles continued in Week 15 against the Denver Broncos. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix didn’t hesitate to go after him - and it worked.
Nixon gave up five catches for 79 yards and a touchdown, and he looked a step behind all game. That’s not the kind of performance you want from a starting corner at this point in the season.
Carrington Valentine, who started the year strong, has also seen his production dip in recent weeks. The momentum he had early on has slowed, and with the playoffs looming, the Packers’ secondary is suddenly looking like a liability.
That’s where Samuel Jr.’s interception on Monday night really stung. Not only did he flash the kind of ball-hawking instincts Green Bay could use right now, but he did it under the bright lights of primetime - a reminder of the opportunity the Packers let slip through their fingers.
A Missed Opportunity?
It’s easy to second-guess moves in hindsight, but this one feels different. The Packers had a chance to bring in a proven talent at a position of growing need. Instead, they bet on their in-house options - and now, with Parsons out and the secondary faltering, that decision is under the microscope.
Fans certainly noticed. Social media lit up during Monday night’s game, with plenty of Packers faithful wondering aloud why the team didn’t pull the trigger on Samuel Jr. when they had the chance.
Now, with the division lead gone and the roster banged up, the margin for error is razor-thin. The Packers are still in the playoff hunt, but they’ll need their secondary to step up in a big way down the stretch. And every time Samuel Jr. makes a play in black and gold, it’ll serve as a painful reminder of what might’ve been in green and gold.