Kerby Joseph entered 2025 hoping to build on a stellar 2024 season, but a devastating Week 6 injury against the Kansas City Chiefs brought everything to a halt. With some fans fearing the worst, one analyst believes Joseph's comeback story is far from over.

“The Lions have not said he (Kerby Joseph) is not playing, not said he is done. Nobody has ever said this guy is done. We don’t even know what the injury is at this point, and we have people on here saying it is a cartilage thing that is degenerative and he is never gonna play again, and he is gonna have to medically retire. But again, we do not know what the actual injury is,” Mike Payton said on A to Z Sports recently.

While the Lions have not officially disclosed any details about his injury, some reports suggest it involves articular cartilage damage rather than a routine ACL or Achilles tear.

What makes the injury particularly concerning is that it has affected both the cartilage and the bone. Even Joseph himself described it as “career-threatening.”

Payton is optimistic that while the team did not include him in spring training, they may have him back on the practice field sooner rather than later.

“I do not see a guy whose career is about to be over. I see a guy who feels pretty good about where he is at. So we will see what it looks like when that happens,” Payton concluded his statement on A to Z Sports.

Back in March, Joseph took to his Instagram Story to repost a clip from Woodward Sports Network highlighting his playmaking ability, along with a caption that read, “2026 will be even more special. Come Back Player of The Year.”

Despite the optimism surrounding his recovery as per, updates on his comeback have been scarce.

Lions remain uncertain about Kerby Joseph's return

The Lions kept Joseph out of spring workouts to give his knee as much rest as possible. However, when asked about Kerby's return to the field, the safeties coach admitted he was unsure when Joseph would return to practice during training camp.

"I don’t know. I know he’s doing everything he can to get back as soon as he can. Dan [Campbell] and the medical staff have a plan, so whatever that plan is, that’s how we’ll go forward, and we’ll execute,” O'Neil said before the Lions' final practice of minicamp Wednesday, June 17, as per Detroit Free Press.

While uncertainty continues to surround his comeback, Lions head coach Dan Campbell said the 2022 third-round pick has “done everything he can do to this point.”

O'Neil highlighted that Kerby has kept himself busy by staying immersed in defense, watching old films, and taking part in meetings.

"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," Campbell said June 4.

That said, none of the stakeholders have provided a timeline for his comeback, but they remain confident that the star safety will be back on the field. What are your thoughts on Kerby Joseph's comeback?

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Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi