Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is standing behind Kerby Joseph after the second-year safety was accused of injuring Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee with a “dirty” hit.
Higbee was injured after taking a low hit from Kerby in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 24-23 win for the Lions. ESPN reported that he suffered a torn ACL on the play, and Joseph came under criticism for what some — including Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford — saw as a dirty play.
But Campbell came to Joseph’s defense, saying this week that the safety carried out the tackle exactly how he had been taught.
Lions Coach: ‘That’s How We Play Football’
Campbell addressed Kerby’s hit on January 17, telling reporters that the safety was careful not to lead with his helmet or target Higbee’s head. The Lions coach added that Kerby’s hit was in line with the team’s physical style of defense, one that he stressed is not dirty.
“That’s how we play football here. Just keep your head up, see what you hit. That’ll always be what I tell Kerby,” Campbell said, via SI.com. “Just keep your eyes up, so you don’t hit on the crown of your helmet. You hit a spine, you mess yourself up there. Just see what you hit. But, no, he was going for the thigh board, staying away from the head. That’s how we play defense here. We’re not dirty, just, we hit.”
Joseph had come under fire earlier this season for a similar low hit on Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson, which also left with him a torn ACL. Stafford appeared to reference this hit during Sunday’s game, when he confronted Joseph following Higbee’s injury and acceused the Lions safety of playing “dirty.”
“You’re dirty as f**k,” Stafford shouted to Joseph. “It’s been on tape. I’ve seen it.”
Lions Players Defend Teammate
Many of Joseph’s teammates also defended him, including linebacker Alex Anzalone who pointed out that Joseph’s hit was exactly the way the league is instructing defenders to tackle.
“Don’t even need to comment on it,” Anzalone said, via SI.com. “It’s how the league office asks us to tackle.”
Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson went a step further, saying that Stafford should share some of the blame for putting the ball in a dangerous spot for the tight end. He pointed out that legendary quarterback Tom Brady has said that it’s often the fault of the quarterback when receivers are forced to take dangerous hits while putting their body in a position to catch poorly thrown balls.
“If anybody on the Rams feels like it was dirty, tell the quarterback don’t put the ball in a place where it get his player hurt,” Gardner-Johnson said after the game. “Brady says it all the time.”
Joseph also defended the hit, taking to social media to express sympathy for Higbee but also to stress that he won’t stop playing hard.
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