The Lions, sitting at 6–3, are gearing up for one of their toughest tests of the season as they head to Philadelphia for a Sunday night clash with the 7–2 defending Super Bowl champions. But before the teams meet under the primetime lights, the NFL delivered a financial penalty to one of Detroit’s top playmakers.
In its list of weekly disciplinary actions released Saturday, the league announced that St. Brown would be fined for his role in last week’s altercation with Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne. Payne was tossed from the game and later suspended, but video circulating afterward showed that St. Brown had started the exchange with a quick jab toward the defender.
Though he avoided ejection, the Pro Bowler was fined $12,171 for unnecessary roughness. According to reports, the league reviewed the entire sequence before handing down penalties. Payne responded to St. Brown’s initial contact with a punch, drawing an immediate disqualification and the subsequent suspension.
St. Brown later broke down the incident on the podcast he hosts with his brother.
“Payne comes up and bumps me, and I’m thinking, ‘What the [explicit]?’” St. Brown said. “So I hit him, he starts talking [explicit], and then I hit him again — and the second time I accidentally caught him in the face.”
Despite the confrontation, Detroit dominated the matchup, rolling to a 44–22 victory. St. Brown contributed five catches for 58 yards and a touchdown in the win.
Now, the star receiver shifts his attention to Philadelphia, where the Lions hope to prove they belong among the NFC’s best. Detroit has never reached a Super Bowl, and defeating the Eagles on the road could be a crucial step toward changing that narrative.
