Detroit’s defense has been hit hard by injuries in recent weeks, and now, the secondary could take another hit heading into Monday night’s matchup against Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The NFL announced on Monday that defensive back Brian Branch will serve a one-game punishment for his actions following the Lions’ 30-17 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night.
As the game ended, Branch reportedly refused to shake hands with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and instead struck wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster in the face, sparking a brief postgame scuffle.
Jon Runyan, the NFL’s Vice President of Football Operations, described Branch’s behavior as “completely unnecessary” and said it “posed a serious risk of injury” while violating league standards of sportsmanship. Runyan emphasized that such actions “have no place in our game.”
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Branch has the right to appeal under the league’s collective bargaining agreement. Should he pursue it, the appeal will be reviewed by either Derrick Brooks, Ramon Foster, or Jordy Nelson. It remains uncertain if Branch will contest the ruling. Notably, he has already received multiple fines this season, which could factor into the decision.
After the incident, Branch took partial accountability, admitting, “I did a childish thing. I’m just tired of guys taking shots in between plays and the refs missing it. They try to bully me out there, but I shouldn’t have done that.”
Head coach Dan Campbell didn’t hold back when addressing the situation. “I love Brian, but what he did was unacceptable,” Campbell stated. “That’s not what we represent. I’ve already apologized to Coach Reid and JuJu. It won’t be tolerated here, and he knows it.”
Branch has historically played well against Tampa Bay. In their playoff clash two years ago, he tallied nine tackles and two tackles for loss. Even during last season’s regular-season meeting, he notched six tackles and intercepted Mayfield once.
Through six games this year, Branch has built on his Pro Bowl form with 33 tackles (23 solo), four tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble, and five pass breakups.
Detroit’s Secondary Depth Takes Another Hit
Losing Branch, even for a game, adds to Detroit’s defensive challenges. Campbell recently confirmed that cornerbacks Terrion Arnold, D.J. Reed, and Khalil Dorsey are sidelined indefinitely. Reed and Dorsey are both on injured reserve, while Arnold’s shoulder issue may keep him out “for a while,” though a recent second opinion suggested he could return sooner than expected.
Meanwhile, cornerback Avonte Maddox missed Week 6 due to a hamstring injury, further thinning the depth chart.
The Buccaneers, however, are also navigating their own injury woes at wide receiver. Mike Evans could return, but Chris Godwin Jr. and Emeka Egbuka remain questionable pending test results.
Even if Evans doesn’t play, Tampa Bay’s deep receiver room—including Sterling Shepard, Tez Johnson, Kameron Johnson, and Ryan Miller—gives quarterback Baker Mayfield plenty of reliable options.
The Buccaneers currently boast the seventh-ranked passing attack in the NFL, with Mayfield posting MVP-level numbers: 1,539 yards, 12 touchdowns, one interception, and a 66.2% completion rate through six games.
