The Detroit Lions’ safeties have anchored their pass defense over the last 25 years.
Through the years, the defense has had the benefit of having several talented options hold down the back half. However, two players stood out among the rest ahead of the 2025 season.
Players such as Louis Delmas, Tracy Walker III and Brian Branch also warranted consideration for this list, two players stood out amongst the group when assembling the final position group for the All-21st Century Team.
Here are the two safeties who cracked the Lions OnSI All-21st Century Team.
Glover Quin
Quin began his career in Houston, playing four years for the Texans before coming to Detroit prior to the 2012 season. He became a force in the secondary, providing the defense with a reliable veteran presence in the back-half.
After starting his Lions tenure strong with three interceptions and two sacks in 2012, Quin earned the only Pro Bowl nod of his career in 2013 in a massive campaign. He picked off a league-best seven passes, logged 10 passes defensed and had 73 combined tackles.
The veteran played his final six seasons in Motown, recording 19 interceptions, 423 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and two defensive touchdowns in his time with the team. He was a part of two playoff teams and left a huge impact on the Lions during his tenure.
Kerby Joseph
The Lions’ 2022 third-round pick has been one of the best mid-round picks of this era for the organization. Entering the league expected to be a backup, Joseph’s fortunes turned when he was inserted into the starting lineup after a season-ending injury to Tracy Walker.
Since then, Joseph has quickly ascended into one of the best playmaking safeties in the league. He had four interceptions in his rookie year, including three on former Packer and long-time Lions nemesis Aaron Rodgers.
After following that up with another four-interception season in 2023, Joseph’s production exploded last year. He led the league in interceptions with nine and earned First Team All-Pro honors. As such, he cemented himself as a core player for Detroit’s defense.
Additionally, Joseph bumped his missed tackle rate down nearly 10 percent last season to 6.3 percent. This is a sign of just how much he has grown as an overall player, not just in the passing game.
Joseph inked a four-year, $86 million contract that made him the highest-paid safety in NFL history. Moving forward, he will be a massive part of the Lions’ attack.
Lions OnSI All-21st Century Team
QB: Matthew Stafford
RB: Jahmyr Gibbs, James Stewart
WR: Calvin Johnson, Amon-Ra St. Brown
TE: Sam LaPorta
OL: Jeff Backus, Rob Sims, Frank Ragnow, Larry Wardord, Penei Sewell
DL: Aidan Hutchinson, Ndamukong Suh, Shaun Rogers, Ezekiel Ansah
LB: DeAndre Levy, Alex Anzalone, Stephen Tulloch
CB: Darius Slay, Dre Bly
S: Glover Quin, Kerby Joseph
