Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph drew the ire of the Los Angeles Rams for his hit on tight end Tyler Higbee during last week’s playoff game.
Higbee suffered a torn ACL and MCL when Joseph hit him low while breaking up a pass during Detroit’s 24-23 win. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford called the play “dirty.”
Joseph denied any ill intentions after the game, and it looks like he has put the play and any criticism it generated behind him.
“I’m cool. I’m used to being the villain,” Joseph said Thursday, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
Lions S Kerby Joseph not worried about criticism from low hit: ‘Used to being the villain’ https://t.co/HDZl4qeyKJ via @freep
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) January 18, 2024
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Joseph addressed the possibility that Stafford was angrier at his post-play celebration than the hit itself.
“To be honest, I don’t really know [why Stafford was mad],” Joseph said . “It was the quickest thing, so I don’t even know what his intentions was, for real. On the celebration part, I wasn’t celebrating that I hurt him. I kind of didn’t really peep that he was hurt, for real. But like I said, prayers out to that boy and his family. Like the game we play, just stuff happens.”
Joseph and the Lions will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Ford Field on Sunday afternoon.