WATCH: “You dirty as f**k!” Matthew Stafford has an honest ‘on-field’ confrontation with Kerby Joseph following an ‘ugly hit’
Joseph’s tackle left Higbee flat on the ground.
Matthew Stafford lost his cool on Monday night when Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph pummeled Tyler Higbee during their Wild Card game. Stafford let Joesph know that he was playing dirty.
With 5:10 minutes to go until the final whistle, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Stafford threw a tight pass to Higbee in the center of the field. The veteran initially bobbled the ball but recovered and kept hold of it.
Joseph went in low, head down, and rammed into the 31-year-old Lions tight end. He hit Higbee’s leg, sending him tumbling head-first into the turf. The Rams man stayed down and was in agony.
That’s a good hit, but you’re dirty as fu*k, and you know it. Okay. You are dirty as fu**. It’s on tape. I have seen it. It’s been on tape.
Following the challenge, Satfford charged towards Joseph and said
Matthew Stafford to Kerby Joseph:
“That’s a good hit, but you’re dirty as f—k.”
pic.twitter.com/sbVawZRmqZ— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) January 18, 2024
He has every right to be angry with a tackle that blew Higbee’s ACL, ending his night. The Rams went on to lose the game by just one point, 24-23, giving the Lions their first playoff win since the early 1990s.
Kerby Joseph said that’s how they play defense in Detroit
Higbee wasn’t Joseph’s first victim this season. When the Lions faced NFC North rivals the Minnesota Vikings on the final day of the 2023 season, he left a similar impact on T.J. Hockenson. The Vikings tight end suffered a torn ACL.
Detroit Lions safety (31) Kerby Joesph (Image via SI)
Joseph said after the Lions game that this is how they play defense with the Detroit Lions, and he doesn’t care what others make of it.
People are going to say what they’re going to say. I don’t really pay too much attention to them. I’m here to ball and win games. That’s my main focus right now.
Kerby Joesph told MLive.com.But he did sound apologetic for what happened with Higbee. He wished the Rams player a quick recovery.
It’s unfortunate what happened to him. I just went on it to make the tackle. Prayers out to him and his family.
He said.Lions head coach Dan Campbell didn’t see anything wrong with Joseph’s tackle. He insisted that it was a clean hit considering the strict rules of today’s football, which limit defenders.
That’s how we play football here [the Detroit Lions]. Just keep your head up and see what you hit. That’ll always be what I tell Kerby.
Campbell said.Perhaps Stafford could have been a bit more careful with his ball placement. Tom Brady had the same opinion about Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew, whose inaccurate throw resulted in a knockout of Michael Pittman Jr.
