In the rough-and-tumble world of the NFL, sometimes the rulebook can hit harder than a 250-pound linebacker on a blitz. Just ask T.J. Hockenson, who has some choice words about the league’s protective measures—or lack thereof.
The Hit Heard ‘Round the Motor City
It was a December afternoon, the kind that makes you ponder the existence of toe warmers, when Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph delivered a hit that would unwrap a season-ending gift for Hockenson: a torn ACL.
“I would’ve much rather gone down with a concussion for two weeks than have to deal with this for nine months,” quipped Hockenson on Monday, per Will Ragatz of Sports Illustrated. A statement sure to make every neurologist cringe, but a sentiment that highlights the grim choices players often consider.
No Grudges, Just Change
Despite the severance of ligaments, Hockenson harbors no ill feelings towards Joseph. He sees a bigger culprit at play—the NFL and the rulebook that seemingly guides defenders to aim low. “I know Kerby pretty well. I’ve played with him. I don’t necessarily think it was [intended to injure],” said Hockenson acutely aware of the league’s paradoxical safety dance.
However, Joseph’s season highlight reel now includes more than one “gone low” instance, like a replay that nobody asked for, which also sidelined Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee during the playoffs.
In Defense of Defense
Lions’ head coach Dan Campbell suited up in his finest armor of words to defend Joseph’s technique. “That’s how we play football here,” stated Campbell, sticking to the script of ‘heads up, see what you hit’ that coaches often recite like a sacred mantra. Campbell fervently denied any dirty play, crediting Joseph with hitting for the thigh board, not the head gears.
A Timeline to Recovery: TBD
Hockenson, perhaps the most unwilling expert on ACL rehab these days, keeps a sunny attitude but remains tight-lipped about his return date.
Now, let’s remind ourselves that while players diving headfirst into the nuances of NFL regulations isn’t exactly a Sunday ritual, it does put a spotlight on a sore subject. Hockenson, through his flair for stating the uncomfortable, has led us back to the perennial debate: Is football hitting back at players’ safety?
