Ex-Lions Pro Bowler doesn’t think Kerby Joseph is dirty for big hit

ALLEN PARK -- Lions safety Kerby Joseph made headlines late last season for a pair of big hits that blew out the knee of an opponent. Now one of those players is saying he doesn’t think the hit was dirty, although he would like to see players do a better job of protecting other players.

“I know Kerby pretty well,” former Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson told reporters today, according to ESPN. “I’ve played with him. I don’t necessarily think it was (intended to injure). You go back on the tape and you see what happened. I know him. I don’t think it was. I just want to make sure it wasn’t and that’s why I’m using my voice here. Players protect players. That’s in any facet of the league. You don’t want a defensive guy head-hunting or knee-hunting, and the same thing for an offensive guy.”

In Week 16 of last season, Hockenson opened the second half of a game against Detroit by catching a pass from fill-in quarterback Nick Mullens. Joseph hit him low, which defenders are now instructed to do because of the rules that have banned hits to the head. But this hit blew out Hockenson’s ACL and MCL, knocking him out for nearly a calendar year.

Three weeks later, Joseph opened the playoffs with a similar play, blowing up Tyler Higbee after the Rams tight end made a catch over the middle in the wild-card round. Higbee tumbled head-first into the turf, then left the game with a torn ACL.

Joseph received criticism for possible dirty play, but insisted both hits were clean.

“People are going to say what they’re going to say,” Joseph told MLive. “I don’t really pay too much mind to them. I’m here to ball, and win games. That’s my main focus right now. I don’t have time to focus on (what) people are saying.

“To be honest, felt like I just went to make a tackle. It’s unfortunate what happened to him, know what I’m saying? Prayers out to him and his family. Yeah, I just went on it to make the tackle. I trust my body and I trust my instincts.”

Lions coach Dan Campbell also vouched for Joseph.

“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.”

Months later, Hockenson says he doesn’t hold the play against Joseph either, but stressed he wants to see players do a better job protecting other players. He also called on the NFL to address why defenders can hit pass-catchers low, but offensive players can’t cut-block in similar areas, according to ESPN. He also said he would prefer to suffer a brain injury on a high hit, which would be a shorter return-to-play protocol than the nine-month timeline he is currently on for an ACL.

“It’s tough,” Hockenson said. “It really is. We’re big guys running through the middle of the field. This is a business, and I don’t think anyone goes out on the field wanting to injure a player like that. So, I’m looking at the light of that and hoping that’s not what the intent was, to injure a player in that sense. But I think to have it happen a couple weeks later [with Higbee], I think that’s something the league needs to look and see what it can do.”