While Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph expressed optimism recently that he wouldn’t begin Training Camp with an injury designation, that unfortunately proved not to be the case.
The Lions announced that Joseph, along with Brian Branch and Tyler Conklin, will all begin Training Camp on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list. He also runs the risk of having to miss the first four games of the upcoming critical 2026 NFL season if he’s not removed from the PUP list by the time the Lions reduce their roster to 53 players.
Now, Joseph is breaking his silence on his latest setback.
Detroit Lions Safety Kerby Joseph Breaks Silence On Latest Injury Setback
He wrote the following update on X, formerly known as Twitter:
“I can’t tell yall everything lol…
Update fr
My faith is unbreakable
I can walk now
I’m not in hella pain nomore so I’m not dropping to the floor like the Kansas game
If yall wanna know if I can play this season just ask God … send some prayers also”
Joseph had been responding to a fan who wrote, “we just wanna see you play and also wish we knew what is actually wrong with your knee.”
Kerby Joseph Was Held Out Of Lions OTAs
Because of his lingering knee injury that caused him to miss significant time last season, the Lions held Joseph out of OTAs earlier this offseason.
Naturally, head coach Dan Campbell was asked about Joseph’s status for Training Camp, which begins later this week.
The Lions head coach responded that he wasn’t sure about Joseph’s status, but that the club was doing everything possible to facilitate a return to the field as soon as he’s able.
“Yeah, really, I don’t know,” Campbell said about Joseph in early June. “I honestly do not know. I know this, we’ve done everything we can do and he’s done everything he can do to this point, and we are trying to be as smart as we can and not push this until we absolutely have to. Because once we’ve done that, then we’ll know one way or another.”
“He’s getting treatment. He’s tried different things in different places to help. So I feel good about that. I feel good that we’ve done everything we can and so has he,” Campbell continued. “Honestly, we probably won’t know until we get into the thick of training camp.”
Meanwhile, Lions safeties coach Jim O’Neill said that the club plans on limiting Joseph’s wear and tear.
“Does he need to practice? Every day? No, maybe not every day, but you need to practice,” O’Neil said. “You can’t take a year off of football and expect to go play at an All-Pro level. That’s everybody at every position. I mean, you need to practice to get the timing, to have the chemistry.”
The Lions are set to open up Training Camp later this week, and it’s going to be a critical season for them after they saw their two-year run at the top of the NFC North standings come to a close.
Lions’ Kerby Joseph Breaks Silence On His Latest Health Setback