Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch can’t seem to stay out of the NFL’s crosshairs. Just days before Detroit’s Week 4 battle with the Cleveland Browns, Branch was fined $11,598 for a low block during the Lions’ 38-30 win over the Baltimore Ravens. The play, flagged early in the fourth quarter, also drew a 15-yard penalty on the field.
This latest punishment adds to Branch’s growing list of league infractions. The 23-year-old defender has now been fined 13 times in his three-year career, totaling more than $118,000—the most of any Lions player in that span. Last season alone, he racked up seven fines worth nearly $71,000, making him the NFL’s most penalized player in 2024.
The NFL ruled his most recent action as unnecessary roughness, though ESPN rules analyst Russell Yurk argued that Branch looked like he tripped rather than made an illegal block. Still, the league didn’t back down.
Branch’s 2025 season began on a rough note when he was fined twice in Week 1 against the Packers, both for $11,593, after ripping tight end Tucker Kraft’s helmet off and tossing it.
Meanwhile, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown escaped fines in Week 3 despite his profanity-laced celebration following a touchdown. St. Brown later apologized, but his production has been undeniable—20 catches for 237 yards and four scores through three games, living up to his new four-year, $120 million deal.
Detroit’s victory over Baltimore was historic—it was their first win against the Ravens since 2005 and their first-ever road win over the franchise. Now 1-2, the Lions are looking to ride that momentum into Sunday’s clash with the Browns at Ford Field.
