The Detroit Lions are coming off one of their best seasons in franchise history. While it ended with a playoff loss to the Washington Commanders, the team dominated on both sides of the ball throughout the year. One of the reasons for their dominant defense was the play of safety Kerby Joseph. He was named First Team All-Pro last year and is hungry to bring a championship to Detroit. On Sunday, he was the grand marshal for the FireKeepers 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Our very own Dustin Judge was able to ask him a few questions about Dan Campbell and the expectations for the upcoming season.
Detroit Lions Kerby Joseph On Dan Campbell
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell has always been billed as a player’s coach. Kerby Joseph is the latest person to praise his head coach. “Aye, Coach Campbell is a real players’ coach, and the team is looking really good,” he said. The young star also talked about how it goes beyond simply being friendly to players, but Campbell truly cares about developing talent, and it shows. The biggest change from last year is the loss of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.
Joseph said the plan is the same as last year. The team is “trying to win it all this year, and Detroit is the team to beat this year in the NFC.” This is a bold claim considering the reigning Super Bowl champion, the Philadelphia Eagles, are in the NFC. However, the Detroit Lions have plenty of talent on both sides of the ball and should be one of the favorites to come out of the conference.
Greatest Career Moment
The former third-round pick out of Illinois has only played in the NFL for three years, but was asked what his favorite moment of his career is so far. It didn’t take him long to think of an answer. “You know playing at Lambeau and getting a Pick-6 there was HUGE for me. A lot of people don’t know this, but I am big time Green Bay Packers fan,” Joseph said. That Pick-6 against the Packers helped swing the momentum right before the half, putting the Lions in the driver’s seat for the division.
Kerby Joseph has played well against the division rival during his first three years. In five career games against Green Bay, he has racked up 27 total tackles and four interceptions. He famously knocked Aaron Rodgers and the Packers out of playoff contention in what would be the four-time MVP’s last game in Green Bay. The defense won’t have to wait long to get another shot at their division rival as they head to Lambeau Field in week 1.
Final Thoughts
Because of the loss of both their coordinators, many analysts are down on the Detroit Lions this year. However, this is an insult to the talent they have on both sides of the ball. Their offense still has some of the most dangerous weapons in the league. Many of their defensive stars, like Aidan Hutchinson, are returning from injuries. While there may be some hiccups early in the season as the team adjusts, this team is primed for another deep playoff run.
