Lions safety Kerby Joseph could be seen taunting Packers tight end Tucker Kraft before Detroit’s dramatic win over Green Bay on Thursday night.
The Lions flexed their muscles as serious Super Bowl contenders with a hard-fought victory over the Packers at Ford Field, where Jake Bates kicked a last-second field goal to move them to 12-1 for the season.
Before the game, Detroit’s Joseph was involved in a heated exchange with Green Bay tight end Kraft – who had threatened to put ‘hands’ on him in the lead-up to Thursday’s clash.
Kraft took aim at the Lions star earlier this week after suggesting he plays dirty on the field, despite admitting he is a talented defensive back.
‘I know he’s a dangerous player. He can flip games. He’s a good DB,’ he said about Joseph.
‘I might not agree with some of the places he likes to lay contact. He’s taken some of my brothers out of the game, and I think about that too. So I get a chance to get my hands on him playing football.’
Lions safety Kerby Joseph couldn’t resist taunting Tucker Kraft before their win over the Packers
Before the Lions emerged victorious, Joseph could be seen taunting Kraft while being held back by members of Detroit’s coaching team.
He followed up the spat by running down the tunnel and high-fiving a crowd of home fans who were lined up to the side.
Kraft said about his encounter with Joseph after the game: ‘He was waiting for me to walk into the tunnel and he had some words for me.
‘So, I just let him know. He’s not going to do anything to me. I don’t think he did.
‘Yeah. I talked that s*** early in the week and I stood on it. I didn’t mean for it to go the distance it went but when it did, I stood on that. That was a tough game. They’re a good team. We’ll see them again.’
Joseph, though, refused to acknowledge the Packers man when quizzed about it himself.
‘You talking about the mac and cheese Kraft? I don’t know who that boy is,’ he claimed.
Kraft, who finished Thursday night’s game with three catches for 41 yards, hurdled Joseph when the Lions defender tried to take him out with a low tackle in the third quarter.
However, he was eventually thwarted by Jack Campbell and Terrion Arnold.
Thursday’s defeat leaves the Packers with a 9-4 record, with the Seattle Seahawks to come next.