Lions safety Kerby Joseph is vindicated by Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson for a low hit.
Detroit Lions safety Kerby garnered criticism for a low hit that caused Rams tight end Tyler Higbee to tear his ACL late in their playoff victory against the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card Round. It also brought to mind a similar hit on Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson that occurred a few weeks prior on Christmas Eve, something that the team’s supporters and admirers made sure to bring to everyone’s attention.
Defensive players are forced by NFL regulations to get low. Increased impacts increase the risk of helmet-to-helmet contact, which carries fines and on-field penalties. In one instance, the justification of Joseph’s hit on Higbee by his defensive colleagues went a touch too far, and Matthew Stafford, the quarterback for the Rams, was wrongly criticized for even making the play.
Given how late his injury (a ruptured ACL and MCL in his right knee) occurred the previous season, Hockenson’s availability for Week 1 of the upcoming campaign is understandably uncertain. Hockenson had the first chance to discuss his injury since the Vikings’ offseason practice began on Monday, with guys like him there to recuperate from ailments.
T.J. Hockenson holds Kerby Joseph not accountable for his regrettable wounds.
Hockenson provided an overview of his early thoughts on his injuries via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert.
“Obviously,” he replied, “I wasn’t too happy about it.”
Hockenson offered more remarks, urging the league to fix the disparity on low hits. Pass catchers can be struck low by defensive players, while offensive players cannot cut-block in the same spots.
“It’s difficult,” stated Hockenson. It is, in fact. We are large men sprinting across the center of the field. I don’t think anyone goes out on the field intending to hurt a player in that way; this is a business. In light of that, I’m assuming that hurting a gamer in that way wasn’t the intended outcome. However, I believe the league should investigate its options in light of the fact that Higbee’s incident occurred a few weeks later.
Hockenson confirmed what many athletes felt, which is that they would rather have a concussion than take a chance on a low hit that may tear their ACL.
“That (a concussion) puts me out two weeks or three weeks,” he stated. This kept me away for nine months. I am unable to even train. In order to prepare for the season, I would have had a typical offseason. I’m aware that some concussions are worse than others, but I don’t want to focus on the good and the bad. However, I had a concussion. I needed a week to complete it. I’m simply viewing it through the lens of that timeline.”
Of course, Hockenson was a teammate of Joseph prior to the Lions trading him to the Vikings at the deadline in 2022. He continued by saying he didn’t believe Joseph meant to hurt him.
“I’m fairly familiar with Kerby,” Hockenson remarked. “We’ve played together. It wasn’t necessarily [mean to hurt], in my opinion. You watch the footage again to see what transpired. I am familiar with him. It wasn’t, in my opinion. I’m using my voice because I simply want to be sure that it wasn’t. Gamers defend other gamers. In any area in the league, that is. A defensive player shouldn’t be head- or knee-hunting, and the same is true for an offensive one.”
Lions head coach Dan Campbell correctly criticized Joseph’s tackling style on the play (“see what you hit.” after the tackle on Higbee). He was fortunate not to have suffered serious injuries to his head, neck, or spine.
Regarding a comparable circumstance and injury, Hockenson, however, believes that Joseph is not at fault and that the league has to address the problem of defensive players being forced to go low.
The Detroit Lions’ 7-round mock draft was efficient enough to make Brad Holmes pleased. Aidan Hutchinson’s painting was installed in downtown Detroit before to the NFL Draft. Marshawn Kneeland of Western Michigan was given a late pre-draft visit by the Lions.
• The No. 29 choice in the NFL Draft has a rather bleak history.
