The Detroit Lions waived second-year safety Brandon Joseph on Saturday, hours after he was arrested for suspicion of operating under the influence.
Joseph was arrested at 1:47 a.m. Saturday in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, police there confirmed to ESPN. Officers said they observed him driving through the city at a higher rate of speed. During a car stop, officers noticed signs of alcohol use, and they conducted preliminary tests with reasonable and probable cause. He was arrested and detained based on that, before being released roughly six hours later.
The Lions then waived Joseph on Saturday afternoon, less than 24 hours before their road matchup against the Chicago Bears.
“He was very cooperative, he was compliant,” Paul Vanderplow, the Dearborn Heights Police Department director, told ESPN. “We had reasonable suspicion and probable cause to investigate him for operating under the influence.
“He subjected himself to all required tests. We are waiting for the results of those tests before any additional charges are even filed.”
The Lions declined comment on the incident.
Joseph, 23, signed with the Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2023. He appeared in 14 games this season, with 13 total tackles and a pass defended. He has also spent time on Detroit’s practice squad over the past two years.
