Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph has turned a simple roster question into a full-blown social media back-and-forth.
The chatter started earlier this week, when Joseph suggested he would not be placed on the Physically Unable to Perform List. That immediately set off a wave of speculation from pundits and fans who had spent much of the spring trying to figure out where he stood physically. There has been plenty of talk about his health, but very little concrete reporting about what his playing future would actually look like.
Dan Campbell added to the uncertainty when he said he did not know what to expect from the safety this season, though he also noted that Joseph had done everything he could to get ready to play. The Lions, meanwhile, were said to be taking a conservative approach before bringing him back because of the knee injury.
That backdrop made Joseph’s social media post stand out even more. He wrote, "How much yall wanna bet im not on there."
When Detroit later announced the three players who were on the PUP list, plenty of fans were left confused, frustrated and a little concerned about Joseph’s availability this summer.
Joseph, though, has leaned into the reaction. Rather than backing away from the conversation, he has been answering fans directly and poking fun at the speculation. He asked why nobody actually made a bet about his health status, and he’s even been telling people to call him and Brian Branch twins.
He also posted, "Yessir I sit back n observe the whole room I see yall talking."
And when one supporter seemed especially worried, Joseph fired back with, "Overly, u stressing more than me bra and its my knee."
The online exchanges have kept rolling from there. Joseph has asked, "Y u ain’t place a bet u asking the wrong question 😂😂" and "What is u hmmmm bout jim?😂🤦🏾♂️"
He also made it clear he never actually said he would not be on the list, posting, "I never said I wasn’t gone be on it"
Then came another reminder that he’s watching the whole thing unfold: "Yall should’ve bet me 😂😂😎😎👌👌"
The timing matters, too. Training camp opens next week, with veterans reporting Tuesday, July 28, and the first practice set for Wednesday, July 29 at the Allen Park Performance Center.
Joseph’s situation has been a major talking point because Detroit’s safety group was once viewed as one of the best in the league. But Joseph dealt with a knee injury all last season, and Brian Branch tore his Achilles tendon against the Dallas Cowboys, leaving the unit in a very different place than expected.
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