Kerby Joseph hasn't played in an NFL game for the Detroit Lions in more than a year.
The 2024 first-team All-Pro last played on Oct. 12, 2025, at the Kansas City Chiefs. Since then, Joseph has been battling a cartilage issue in his knee. It landed Joseph on the physically unable to perform list
to open this season. Joseph has not practiced this season, and missed a chunk of training camp for personal reasons.Throughout the rehab process, Joseph has remained upbeat about a potential return. The 6-foot, 210-pound safety told reporters in late July that he expected to play at some point this season.
"I'm super optimistic, man. I never gave up. I'm going to always work hard. All I do is work. If you see me outside, I'm working," Joseph told reporters
on July 30.
Earlier this week, Joseph shared a TikTok video of himself working out. It reignited the hopes that a Joseph return could be in the cards in the 2026 season.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell said earlier this week that he expects Joseph to play this season.
"He's doing well. I'll leave it at that. He really is. He's doing a good job," Campbell said when asked for an update on Joseph.
"I'm not going to give you a timetable, but I've been pleased with where he’s at. He’s in a good headspace right now, which is great because that’s hard. You’re coming off this, you’re wanting to go and you’re working at it, and at some point it’s time for football. We all know that and recognize it, but we'll take it one day at a time."
Joseph, who signed a four-year, $86 million contract extension in April of 2025, has played in 55 games and started 52, totaling 265 tackles, 20 interceptions, 35 passes defensed, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.
Joseph led the NFL in interceptions in 2024 with nine.
"Kerb’s my dawg. We’ve been—we ain’t quitting, man,” Lions safety Brian Branch said of Joseph on Oct. 7. “Injured, we’ve been in this thing together for, what, 10 months, man? It’s been a long road. We’ve been fighting every day. He gonna be alright. He gonna be back. We’re gonna be back."
ESPN senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler said on Oct. 11 that Joseph will be back this season.
"I just know we were strengthening the knee and it wasn’t a setback but there was a little time there where we weren’t able to do everything we needed to do and so now we’re back at it," Campbell said of Joseph on Sept. 21. "And until we can get the knee to a certain point to where it feels strong, as strong as we can possibly get it and he feels comfortable, we’re not going to put him out there."
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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Detroit Lions' Kerby Joseph posts workout video
