Kerby Joseph Just Had His First Team Practice, And Coach Jim O’Neill Said He Looked ‘Better Than Anticipated’

Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph just hit the field for his first taste of team practice, and his safeties coach, Jim O’Neill, isn’t holding back on the praise. Joseph, who’s been out for over a year battling a knee injury, looked “a lot better than what I anticipated him looking like” according to O’Neill. Talk about making an entrance!

The Long Road Back to the Gridiron

This isn’t just some casual return. Joseph’s been grinding to get back into action after a knee injury sidelined him for over a year of football activities. Last week, the Lions kicked off his 21-day evaluation clock, getting him into walkthrough practices and then putting in extra reps with teammates after practice. That’s serious dedication, right? O’Neill was clearly stoked, saying, “It’s been great. Two weeks ago, it was classroom work, where we were really locked in. Then it was walkthrough and individual.” And then, BAM, the first team practice, and he blew expectations away. O’Neill knows Joseph has to keep it up, saying, “So now he’s gotta stack multiple days. He’s got to stack them, so today will be a big day for him, but he looked awesome yesterday at practice.” It’s all about building on that momentum.

Perseverance Through Physical and Mental Battles

You can’t bounce back from an injury like that without some serious grit, and O’Neill made sure to shout out everyone involved in Joseph’s recovery. The medical staff set up the whole recovery plan, and players like Dominic Lovett and Jackson Meeks stayed late to help Joseph catch up on all those missed reps. But the biggest shout-out? It went straight to Joseph himself for his insane perseverance. O’Neill got real about it, saying, “He’s worked his ass off. He has. He’s gone through a mental battle, he’s gone through a physical battle, and he’s in a great place right now.” Think about it, being at the top of your game and then having it snatched away? That’s brutal. O’Neill gets it: “I know how hard it must be to be at the top of your game and then have it taken away from you. He’s grinded to get back to the level that he’s used to playing at and at his standard.” That kind of fire is exactly what you want to see.

A Potential Game-Changer for the Lions’ Back-End

This isn’t just a feel-good story for Joseph, though. This could be a game-changer for the Lions’ defense. Remember, Joseph wasn’t even playing at a Pro Bowl level for nearly two years because of this knee injury, even in 2025. But if Detroit can get that 2024 Kerby Joseph back, and with Brian Branch continuing his progress after his 2025 Achilles injury, their secondary could seriously level up. O’Neill’s pumped about the possibilities, saying, “As we get guy back, guys like with Kerby’s skillset or (Thomas) Harper’s skillset, that just opens up the door to do more stuff with Branch.” Imagine Branch being freed up to do more: “He can go down, he can do dime roles, eh can play nickel roles. You can use him more of a chess piece as we get some guys back in t” Yeah, a healthy Joseph could mean a whole new look for that back-end.

So what’s next for Joseph? It’s simple: “stack days.” It’s not just about the knee holding up to a heavier load, but about him continuing to grow and play at that high level. If he keeps showing out like he did in his first team practice, the Lions’ defense could be getting a major shot in the arm. Keep an eye on Joseph, because if yesterday was any indication, he’s ready to make some noise.

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Originally reported by Pride of Detroit.