Allen Park — Toward the end of last season, few players in the NFL were having more fun than Detroit Lions rookie Kerby Joseph.
And who can blame him? The first-year safety closed his rookie campaign by intercepting Aaron Rodgers — his favorite player growing up — for the third time, sealing Detroit’s 20-16 season-ending win on Sunday Night Football.
As you may have guessed, the good vibes are carrying over into this season — and then some.
“The energy that he brings to the field, he’s always bouncing around and smiling and happy,” cornerbacks coach Dre Bly said. “And that kind of reminded me of myself. That was the kind of player that I was when I played, and I know that energy is contagious, and so that’s what I see in Kerby.”
Bly, who was hired this offseason, is getting his first dose of the Joseph experience. But safeties coach Brian Duker — promoted last year following the firing of Aubrey Pleasant after Week 8, not long after Joseph got his first start — has seen ample growth in other areas.
“Kerby has continued to grow,” Duker said. “He did a very good job at the end of last season as a rookie, handling the mental side of the game, so you could see that communication. His confidence is certainly there, and you see him out there. I think you guys would see that he’s been one of those louder voices out there, and it allows him to kind of grow into who he wants to be.
“It kind of fits his personality, but sometimes, when you’re doing a lot of thinking, that kind of occupies your time, and he’s not doing as much thinking now, so he can just fly around and kind of be himself and have a little more fun.”
Joseph was touted for his ball-hawking skills before even being drafted out of Illinois and put them on display with four total interceptions in 2022, including two other picks of Rodgers in a Week 9 win over the Packers that started to right the ship.
The hope is that playing faster allows his instincts — the thing that defines his dynamism — to take over more frequently, which is also something Bly can speak to.
“I don’t think at this level you can teach (ball skills).You can kind of help them, (but) either you got it or you don’t,” Bly said. “And I tell people all the time — I played baseball, right? I was a center fielder, I played four sports, so that helped me to be able to locate and track the ball, and so I just think either you got it (or you don’t).”
One thing about Joseph that Bly doesn’t recognize in himself: The ability to celebrate his accomplishments on the football field. Back in his day, the No Fun League ruled supreme. And even though Joseph now has a no-backflip mandate, Bly is sure he’ll figure something out.
“It seems like the league, now, they’ve carved out minutes for these jokers to celebrate and to put on a show after they make a play. Like, three minutes! They got three minutes. … They can do whatever they wanna do,” Bly said. “I mean, they can run to the end zone. I’m like, what are we doing? And I’m actually … a little jealous, man. I’m a little jealous.”
nbianchi@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @nolanbianchi