Derrick Barnes Wants Cut Block Banned

Barnes wants hit that injured him outlawed.

Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes. / Eric Seals / USA TODAY NETWORK

Derrick Barnes chuckled as the game-winning kick by Jake Bates soared through the uprights, cementing the Week 10 win for the Detroit Lions.

In the immediate aftermath, the injured defender picked up his phone, and responded to messages from friends who had reached out earlier joking with him about the Lions' chances of winning the game being diminished.

"Right when the game was over, I went right back to talking (expletive)," Barnes said. "Texting everybody back."

Barnes has been sidelined since a knee injury suffered in Week 3. In the meantime, he has been steadily recovering. Though his injury was initially expected to sideline him for the remainder of the year, the linebacker seemed optimistic after a workout Wednesday.

"I don't know honestly, I'm just taking it day by day," Barnes said. "Today was a shock to me, cause I did a lot of stuff that I didn't think I would be able to do for another couple of weeks. So, it's moving fast. I'm gonna take it a day at a time, and whatever they need me to do, I'm gonna do it."

The defender expressed that he feels good, adding that he's already hit benchmarks ahead of where he's scheduled, such as riding a bike and walking in water. When asked if he is ahead of where he's supposed to be, he offered a confident response: "I will be, let's put it like that."

Barnes will be working on his rehab with defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, who suffered a fractured tibia and fibula in Week 6.

Barnes suffered his knee injury on a cut block from Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride in the Lions' Week 3 win. The hit was controversial, as offensive linemen have somewhat more freedom to go low on offensive players than defensive players have.

As a result, the fourth-year defender said he would like to see that hit get banned.

"Me personally, I think that it should be banned," Barnes said. "I think the offense gets a lot of leeway, more than the defense. It's football. I've never been someone that complains about the hits or nothing, because I do the hitting. And then when I get hit, something like this happens. I don't really agree with the play, but it is football, it does happen. I would never wish that upon nobody."

Watching the Lions have success in 2024, with an 8-1 record after Sunday's win, has fueled Barnes to want to return for the postseason. While that is far from a certainty, he has enjoyed watching his team battle for wins every week.

Though missing out has been difficult as he watches from afar, seeing the number in the win column continue to increase has been a creator of joy for the linebacker.

"It's been fun. It's really amazing," Barnes explained. "What the coaching staff has done, the players obviously. It's great. I think prior to gamedays is the days where I feel most down, because I really wish I was there. But, it brings me joy to see what this team has accomplished."