NFL interception leader Kerby Joseph left off 2025 Pro Bowl roster

Posted by Admin January 2, 2025 NFL

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The Detroit Lions will be well represented when 2025 Pro Bowl selections are announced Thursday, but one player who won’t be on the list could be this year’s biggest snub.

Lions safety Kerby Joseph, who leads the NFL with nine interceptions, was not one of the three safeties picked for the NFC Pro Bowl roster, the Free Press learned Wednesday night.

Joseph finished first in fan voting at free safety, ahead of three other NFC players: Xavier McKinney of the Green Bay Packers, Camryn Bynum of the Minnesota Vikings and Reed Blankenship of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Lions safety Brian Branch, who finished second in fan voting at strong safety, was picked for the Pro Bowl.

Voting by fans, players and coaches each count for a third of the final vote.

Joseph on Wednesday night tweeted a confused reaction GIF with no words needed.

Joseph ranks third on the Lions with 76 tackles and is tied for the NFL lead with 12 pass deflections among safeties. He had two interceptions in Monday night’s win over the San Francisco 49ers and had a third interception nullified by penalty, the second pick he has lost to penalty this season.

“My superpower I feel like is taking the ball away,” Joseph said Monday, adding it was a goal of his to lead the NFL in picks in 2024.

McKinney, expected to make the Pro Bowl when rosters are announced at 9 a.m. Thursday on NFL Network, is second in the league with seven interceptions.

“I envisioned it,” Joseph said Monday. “I don’t feel like Imagined it. I mean, I knew this was going to happen. I just feel like, I didn’t really put a number on it, man, I just wanted to lead the pack. I wanted to separate myself, I wanted to be different. I want to be great in this league. I don’t want to be no average Joe. I don’t want to be good, I want to be great. I want to be able to say, ‘Yeah, I deserve that gold jacket one day,’ so I feel like every year I just keep getting better, keep getting better and I don’t think I’m ever going to stop.”

Joseph, 24, was a third-round draft pick by the Lions in 2022 out of Illinois. He had four picks in each of his first two seasons.

Branch, a second-round pick in 2023 out of Alabama, has four picks and 103 total tackles in 15 games this season.

Dave Birkett is the author of the new book, “Detroit Lions: An Illustrated Timeline.” Order your copy here. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.