Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford had a heated exchange with Kerby Joseph after a controversial hit sent TE Tyler Higbee out of the game with a torn ACL.
You may have noticed after Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph collided with Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee in a hit that sent the receiver head over heels (and caused a torn ACL), quarterback Matthew Stafford confronted Joseph and clearly had some choice words for him. Thanks to a mic’d up segment via the Rams, we now know exactly what the former Lions quarterback said.
The exchange starts around the 4:45 mark of the video below:
“Hey! Hey! Hey, that’s a good hit. That’s a good hit, (but) you’re dirty as [censored], though, and you know it,” Stafford said. “You’re dirty as [censored]. It’s been on tape. I’ve seen it. Hey, it’s been on tape.”
The “tape” Stafford is likely referring to is Joseph’s similar hit on Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson , which resulted in a torn ACL and MCL.
It’s hard to make out exactly how Joseph is responding to Stafford, but It sounds like his initial reaction is, “Aww, come on, man.”
On Wednesday, Lions coach Dan Campbell defended Joseph’s hit on Higbee , saying the only correction he’d make to the hit is for Joseph to keep his head up for his own protection.
“That’s how we play football here,” Campbell said. “Just keep your head up, see what you hit. That’ll always be what I tell Kerby. Just keep your eyes up so you don’t hit on the crown of your helmet, hit a spine, mess yourself up there. Just see what you hit. But, no, he’s going for the thigh board and staying away from the head. That’s how we play defense here. It’s not dirty. You know, we hit.”