By Blessing 
Over the past two seasons, the Detroit Lions have emerged as one of the NFL’s most exciting and competitive teams. While much of the credit goes to the dynamic leadership of Dan Campbell, along with rising coaching talents like Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, it’s truly been the players who’ve brought this team’s vision to life on the field.
Names like Aidan Hutchinson and Amon-Ra St. Brown have rightfully earned the spotlight, becoming household names as key contributors to Detroit’s resurgence. But one player in particular has recently earned some well-deserved recognition — not just for his standout play, but for the bonus that came with it.
Kerby Joseph Earns Massive Bonus After Breakout Season
Lions safety Kerby Joseph has been rewarded in a big way for his All-Pro performance in 2024. This week, Joseph received a performance-based pay bonus of $996,253, making him the highest-paid safety under the program and the third-highest among all secondary players.
Only Michael Jackson (Carolina Panthers, $1.035 million) and Jaylon Jones (Indianapolis Colts, $1.06 million) received larger bonuses. Other notable players who topped the list included Matt Pryor (Bears), Daniel Faalele (Ravens), and Jamien Sherwood (Jets), all earning just over $1 million.
But Joseph’s bonus was well-earned — and arguably overdue.
The 24-year-old safety has been on a tear since entering the league as a third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. In his first two seasons, he racked up 164 total tackles and eight interceptions, but it was his 2024 campaign that truly turned heads. With a league-leading nine interceptions, Joseph put together a dominant season that earned him All-Pro honors.
According to Pro Football Focus, he was the top-graded safety in the NFL last season, boasting an impressive 90.4 overall grade and a 91.1 coverage grade.
Though he was snubbed for the Pro Bowl, Joseph’s stellar play is setting him up for something even bigger — a potentially massive contract extension.
Per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Joseph’s agents have already begun early talks with the Lions during the NFL Scouting Combine, and GM Brad Holmes confirmed that an extension is “on the docket” for this offseason.
If things go as expected, Joseph could soon surpass Antoine Winfield Jr.’s four-year, $84.1 million deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — making him the highest-paid safety in the NFL.
And after a season like this, it’s safe to say: he’s earned it.