Fresh video footage has surfaced from the heated postgame clash between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Detroit Lions, following Andy Reid’s claim that JuJu Smith-Schuster was struck without provocation.
The Chiefs secured a 30-17 victory at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday night, but tensions spilled over after the final whistle. During postgame handshakes, Lions safety Brian Branch appeared to deliver a punch to Smith-Schuster, igniting a bench-clearing scuffle between the two squads.
Branch later expressed regret for his “immature” behavior but suggested Smith-Schuster had previously hit him in the back during a late-game play. Newly released ground-level footage shows Smith-Schuster bleeding from the nose following the altercation.
In the closing minutes of the fourth quarter, Kansas City maintained a 10-point lead with under four minutes to go. During a rushing play, Smith-Schuster made contact with Branch, leading to a brief verbal exchange.
When the final whistle blew, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes approached Branch for a handshake, but the Detroit defender declined. Moments later, Branch sought out Smith-Schuster and swung his helmet toward him, connecting hard.
Smith-Schuster appeared shocked by the hit and charged toward Branch before being restrained by teammate Isiah Pacheco. What started as a brief scuffle quickly escalated into a full-blown melee involving multiple players from both teams.
After the game, Reid strongly condemned Branch’s actions, telling reporters:
“The guy came up and hit JuJu for what seemed like no reason. That’s hard to see, and it caused some real damage to JuJu’s nose.”
Smith-Schuster was later seen with blood running down his face. Meanwhile, the NFL is reviewing the incident, and Branch could face disciplinary measures — including a fine or potential suspension.
Addressing reporters, Branch admitted fault but attempted to justify his frustration:
“I did something childish,” he said. “Guys keep hitting me after plays and the refs never call it. I got blocked in the back — right in front of the ref — and nothing was done. I lost my cool. I shouldn’t have reacted that way, and I apologize.”
Lions head coach Dan Campbell echoed Reid’s disappointment, offering a stern message during his postgame presser:
“I love Brian Branch, but what he did is unacceptable,” Campbell stated. “That’s not who we are, and it’s not how we represent this organization. I apologized to Coach Reid and to JuJu. It won’t be tolerated — our players know that.”
The footage has since reignited debate across the NFL world about sportsmanship and player discipline, as the league’s investigation into the chaotic ending continues.
