NFL fans blast Kerby Joseph for landing "dirty" hit on Tyler Higbee during Wild Card clash: "Get this thug out the league"

Kerby Joseph did not find any love from NFL fans after his low tackle on Tyler Higbee took the Rams player out of their Wild Card clash with the Lions. It came in the fourth quarter in a close game with the score 24-23 in favor of the home team.

The returning Matthew Stafford threw a pass to Higbee and he juggled the ball on the reception. As he tried to reel it in, he was tackled by Kerby Joseph below the knee. It hyperextended the knee of the receiver and he was immediately in pain. He was attended by the medical staff and then limped off to the sidelines.

It was not an illegal tackle and there was no flag on the play but the Los Angeles players were not happy. Matthew Stafford, generally not known for losing his temper, even confronted the Detroit players and looked very upset.

Note: Some viewers may find the video below distressing, discretion is advised

NFL fans were not happy with the whole situation and blamed Kerby Joseph for that tackle. They used some choice words against the Detroit player on X, formerly known as Twitter. Here are some of the reactions on the platform.

Tyler Higbee injury update

While we will await updates from the medical team, some reports suggest that it could be an MCL sprain with an ACL tear, which would point towards a long recovery. But with the Los Angeles Rams losing to the Detroit Lions 23-24, it will not affect his team's season.

Kerby Joseph has history of such hits

This is not the first time that Kerby Joseph has gone low below the knees and taken out an opposition player. In an NFC North divisional game against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 16, he executed a similar tackle on T.J. Hockenson. It ended the tight end's season as well with a torn ACL and MCL.

Neither this tackle nor the one in the playoffs was deemed illegal. While these plays were not flagged, the NFL may look at outlawing such tackles. The league is already supposedly looking at hip-drop tackles from behind to prevent injuries. Maybe, they can add this to the portfolio of hits that need to be discussed.