On Sunday Night, immediately after the Kansas City Chiefs took the final kneel down to secure victory over the Detroit Lions, Lions defensive back Brian Branch struck Chiefs’ wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster in the face.
As a result of Branch’s actions, the sidelines converged, leading to a near-brawl before cooler heads prevailed.
Brian Branch started the fight in the field. Brian Branch threw a punch and knocked JuJu Smith-Schuster down. Brian Branch should be suspended. THERE IS NO PLACE IN SPORTS FOR THAT. pic.twitter.com/C8DtVukdlF
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) October 13, 2025
“I did a real childish thing,” Branch said after the game in the Lions’ open locker room session perThe Athletic’s Colton Pouncy. “I’m tired of people doing stuff in between plays and refs don’t catch it. They be trying to bully me out there. I shouldn’t have did it, it was childish.”
Branch went on to explain that the reason he struck Smith-Schuster was in retaliation to an alledged hit by Smith-Schuster during the game that struck him in the back of the head.
Brian Branch being blocked in the back by JuJu
This is absolutely ridiculous.
— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔦𝔱 𝔗𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 📰 (@the_det_times) October 13, 2025
“I got blocked in the back illegally,” Branch said. “And it was in front of the ref and the ref didn’t do anything. And just stuff like that. I coulda got hurt off a that, but I still should not have done that.”
The NFL has suspended Branch for one game without pay for his actions.
Branch’s Punishment
“Your aggressive, non-football act was entirely unwarranted, posed a serious risk of injury, and clearly violated the standards of conduct and sportsmanship expected of NFL players,” stated NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan in a letter written to Branch. “Your conduct reflected poorly on the NFL and has no place in our game.”
The Aftermath
As a result of the suspension, Branch will not play in the Lions’ week seven contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and is eligible to return to the active roster on the following Tuesday.
Branch does have the option to appeal the suspension, with either Derrick Brooks, Ramon Foster, or Jordy Nelson being eligible to both hear and rule upon the potential appeal. Brooks, Foster, and Nelson are all former NFL players and are jointly appointed and compensated by the NFL and NFLPA to assist in matters of appeals regarding on-field discipline.
Per NFL Insider Ian Rapoport, Branch will appeal.
Dan Campbell Shares Thoughts
Lions head coach Dan Campbell spoke about the incident in a post-game press conference.
“Let me start with this,” Campbell said. “I love Brian Branch, but what he did is inexcusable and it’s not going to be accepted here. It’s not what we do, it’s not what we’re about. I apologized to coach [Andy] Reid and the Chiefs and Schuster. That’s not OK. That’s not what we do here, and it’s not gonna be OK. He knows it, our team knows it. That’s not what we do.”
