Jul 15, 2026, 11:30 PM CUT

"Gettin Worse": Kerby Joseph shares cryptic quote amid injury concerns

SANTA CLARA, CA - DECEMBER 30: Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph 31 reacts to a miss opportunity to intercept the ball during a NFL, American Football Herren, USA game against the San Francisco 49ers on December 30, 2024 at Levi s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA. Photo by Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire NFL: DEC 30 Lions at 49ers EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon241230125

The Motor City team finished the 2025 NFL season with a record of 9-8, narrowly missing the playoffs. The primary reason was the series of injuries that the Lions suffered. Among the injured, one was the Lions’ safety Kerby Joseph, who shared a cryptic post amid the uncertainty of his return.

As reported by The Detroit Times, the Lions star safety was spotted vibing on his Instagram story at the Lions facility, with a cryptic caption that has sparked buzz within the NFL community about his return to the gridiron.

“If you ain’t gettin better you gettin worse,” Kerby Joseph wrote on his Instagram.

DETROIT, MI - DECEMBER 21: Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff 16 and Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell 58 lead the team out of the tunnel during pregame introductions the Detroit Lions versus the Pittsburgh Steelers game on Sunday December 21, 2025 at Ford Field in Detroit, MI. Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire NFL, American Football Herren, USA DEC 21 Steelers at Lions EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2582025122101335

It is not the first time he has done it, a few days back, he shared another dancing video on TikTok. But the noticeable detail was around his injured knee.

He was seen bending his injured knee, which might look like a positive sign amid the uncertainty around his return.

In the recent video as well, he was seen hopping within the facility and bending his knees.

During the Week 6 match against the Kansas City Chiefs, Joseph suffered a left knee injury, which eventually landed in the injured reserve list.

Even in the 2026 offseason, he was given partial exposure to the team activities. The coaching and medical staff explicitly monitored his performance.

Prior to his injury, he played in six games for the Lions and recorded 14 solo tackles and successfully defended four passes.

As of now, there is no solid update on his return to the gridiron. However, one NFL analyst has shared five stats that give the Detroit Lions bragging rights.

Kerby Joseph may be out but stats still favor the Lions

As of now, there is no news around Kerby Joseph’s return to the Detroit Lions roster. But amid his absence, Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com has highlighted five key stats about the Lions' defense that will help them in the 2026 season.

Per Twentyman, the first stat is that the Lions allowed 105 explosive plays. According to Lions defensive coordinator Kevin Sheppard, it is fixable.

Ball security remains a strength for the Lions, after they just did 15 giveaways, one of the NFL's lowest totals. However, the defense must create more takeaways to complement it.

The Lions' receivers also have room to bounce back. Last season, they recorded 26 dropped passes, a steep increase from 2024 that stalled several key drives.

The Lions' offense kept the production. They scored 472 points, the second-most in the league, giving new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing one of the NFL's most explosive units to work with.

At last, Detroit's 26% pass-rush win rate shows where improvement is needed.

With these stats in place, the Detroit Lions remain a contender for the 2026 NFL season.

Written by

Kunwar Yashaswee Chhaunker