Kerby Joseph: Orlando Native and Detroit Lions Safety Leads Historic 2024 Season

The 2024 NFL season has been a seminally significant year for Florida’s own, Orlando native Kerby Joseph. Joseph is the starting free safety for the Detroit Lions. Just as we are expecting the 2025 playoffs to get underway, it is this Lions team that stands atop the NFC. Only the AFC’s Kansas City Chiefs have a better record league-wide.

Making Detroit his Special Lion’s Den

Joseph has been an instrumental part of this historic season for the Detroit Lions. As far as the inspired play of Joseph – the writing has been on the wall for the last few seasons. Fans have had a chance to witness his meteoric maturation into one of the biggest game changers in the league.

The Lions selected him in the 3rd round of the 2022 draft. Joseph hit the ground running, making an impact for the Lions right away. He was still just a rookie when he won the National Football Conference (NFC) Defensive Player of the Week award, becoming the first Lions rookie to accomplish this milestone.

Joseph also won the Pro Bowl Fan Vote for NFC Safeties – another feat he accomplished as a rookie. Lions coach Dan Campbell knows that in Joseph he has an integral piece to a squad that is having its best season since 1991, when the Lions finished 12-4. Campbell is one of the NFL’s most unique coaches, drawing comparisons with none other than former Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson. He brings his own personal brand of swagger and expects his players to play with a confident and relentless competitive drive.

Given the circumstances of last week’s game against the San Francisco 49ers, most coaches would have rested their core pieces and not have worried about the game’s outcome because it would not affect the standings in any meaningful way. Campbell’s process is the contrary: he coached his team with a ferocious sense of urgency – as if the Lions were playing in a crucial must-win game. Joseph thrives in the confident and competitive culture that his coach creates, and went on to make waves in the Monday night game against their conference rivals.

Joseph has a league-leading nine interceptions this season. He has registered 48 solo tackles, making him a popular choice for defensive player of the year. Coach Campbell understands the value Joseph brings and had this to say: “He’s a football player and it’s one of the things that we liked about him when he was coming out. There was a rawness to him, but he had these ball skills and the ability to track the ball and we really felt like he could grow and become a pretty good safety in this league and he’s certainly done that. And he’s not done. He’s not done, that’s what excites you.”

Joseph keeps proving him right as he continues to light it up, becoming the first player to intercept Aaron Rodgers three times in the same season. This includes the interception that definitively ended the Green Bay Packers’ season in the last week of the regular season. Joseph has 14 interceptions in his first 2½ seasons, the most by any NFL safety in his first three seasons since Hall of Famer Ed Reed had 21 in 2002-04.

Kerby’s Personal Backstory

Kerby Joseph, Detroit, Safety

Joseph scored his first career pick six earlier this season on November 3rd. Not bad for a guy from Orlando. Joseph is the youngest of seven children. As the son of a Haitian mother, he grew up a witness to his mother’s dedication and selfless hard work. He lovingly refers to his mom as a “strong woman.” He offered us a fascinating glimpse when he said, “I was the type of kid that – my mom brings home a case of groceries, I get the case of waters to show my mom that I’m strong.”

Joseph attended Jones High School in Orlando and eventually attended Illinois as a three-star recruit. He chose to enter the 2022 draft after being voted onto the All-Big 10 Conference First Team, a designation he earned after logging 57 tackles, one sack, and three fumble recoveries while also intercepting five passes.

“I grew up in west Orlando,” Joseph said. “It’s not the best. There’s certain things that need fixing or that could be better. But it’s home.”

Joseph made a huge difference for his team in their 40-34 win on Monday Night Football, coming up with two interceptions. The second one was in the fourth quarter and came with a special holiday surprise for the hometown 49er fans when he broke into the chicken dance celebration that iconic 49er safety Merton Hanks made famous in the 90s.

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