Lions safety 'cool' with reputation for controversial hits

Detroit Lions defensive back Kerby Joseph has developed quite a reputation for himself for a couple of hits that have knocked out opposing players for the season. The latest was Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee, who tore his ACL on a low hit during the team's wild-card win this past weekend.

Joseph said on Thursday that he is "cool" with his reputation and is "used to being the villain."

Higbee was injured catching a pass across the middle of the field after Joseph went in low and took his leg for the tackle. The Rams' tight end was immediately in visible pain. 

Earlier in the season, Joseph injured Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson with a similar hit.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford confronted Joseph on the field and called him a dirty player. Joseph was seen flexing in celebration after the play.

Said Joseph on Thursday, via the Detroit Free Press: 

“To be honest, I don’t really know [why Stafford was mad]. It was the quickest thing, so I don’t even know what his intentions was, for real. On the celebration part, I wasn’t celebrating that I hurt him," Kerby explained. "I kind of didn’t really peep that he was hurt, for real. But like I said, prayers out to that boy and his family. Like the game we play, just stuff happens.”

The harsh reality is that Joseph did what the NFL would prefer he do in that situation. 

The league has made it very clear that going high on a wide receiver and risking head and neck contact is going to carry the possibility of game-changing penalties and perhaps even fines or suspensions for the defensive player. The offshoot of that is that some defenders are going to go low. 

It might be risky. It might result in a different sort of injury. We are still going to continue to see it.