Kerby Joseph Believes He Could've Intercepted Rodgers Six Times
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph led his team in takeaways as a rookie.
Three of his interceptions came against one of the organization's all-time foes — Aaron Rodgers. In his first season in Motown, Joseph accomplished a rare feat by intercepting Rodgers three times in one campaign.
The confident rookie told NFL Network's Good Morning Football Thursday that it could've happened more.
"I got him three times, but I'm not gonna lie, it should've been five," Joseph said. "That last game, I dropped that first one and then that second one got called back. Actually, it should've been six. That one-hander on that fourth down or third down, I could get that."
Green Bay's long-time signal caller has dealt plenty of heartbreak to Lions fans throughout his lengthy career. However, Joseph may have gotten the last laugh.
His Week 18 interception was Green Bay's final pass of the season. After requesting a trade recently, Rodgers' likely threw his final pass straight into the arms of Joseph. The rookie kept the football.
On Thursday, the Illinois product showed the ball to NFL Network's hosts, explaining that he carries it with him. He said he attempted to get the ball signed after the game, but postgame media obligations got in the way.
Though Detroit's young defensive back tormented Green Bay's gunslinger in the secondary, he admitted that he has immense respect for the quarterback.
The first time the two played against each other, in Week 9 of the NFL season, the youngster notched two interceptions off the veteran quarterback.
"First, I want to say to Aaron Rodgers, that was my favorite quarterback growing up," Joseph explained. "So I watched him my whole life. Coming into this game, me, my agents, my managers, we were all talking about how my first interception would be against him. It surely was, spoke it into existence. And then, after I got that first one, I got it so early in the game, so it was like, I'm hungry, I ain't done. I just kept playing and got that second one, and after that I was like, 'Oh yeah.' We lit, I'm lit right now. I'm not gonna lie, if I didn't get out that game early with that concussion, I probably would've made history some more."
