The NFL has issued disciplinary action against Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch after his involvement in a postgame altercation during the Sunday Night Football matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Branch, 23, will serve a one-game suspension without pay as a result of his actions following the Lions’ loss on October 12.
In a formal statement, Jon Runyan, the NFL’s Vice President of Football Operations, condemned Branch’s behavior.
“Your aggressive and unnecessary conduct was dangerous, unsportsmanlike, and violated the standards expected of all NFL players,” Runyan wrote in a letter to the Lions defender. “Such behavior reflects poorly on the league and has no place in professional football.”
Branch will be eligible to rejoin Detroit’s active roster on Tuesday, October 21, after the team’s Monday Night Football contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Under league rules, Branch retains the right to appeal the decision.
What Led to the Suspension
The incident stemmed from a heated moment after the Lions’ 30-17 defeat at Arrowhead Stadium. Following the final whistle, Branch appeared to strike Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster across the facemask, igniting a brawl that drew in several players and staff from both sidelines.
After returning to the locker room, Branch told reporters he reacted out of frustration, believing Smith-Schuster had delivered an illegal block during the final minutes of the game that went uncalled by officials.
“I could’ve gotten hurt on that play,” Branch admitted. “I shouldn’t have responded that way. It was immature, but I’m tired of guys doing stuff after the play and getting away with it. I just lost my cool.”
Smith-Schuster, 28, denied any wrongdoing, saying he was simply finishing his block.
“I’m just doing my job,” he said. “I play until the whistle blows.”
Lions and Chiefs React
Detroit head coach Dan Campbell condemned the altercation, calling Branch’s actions “unacceptable.”
“I love Brian, but that’s not who we are,” Campbell told reporters. “I apologized to Coach [Andy] Reid, JuJu, and the Chiefs organization. That behavior won’t be tolerated here.”
Veteran defensive end D.J. Reader also weighed in, noting that Branch’s competitiveness must be balanced with discipline.
“He’s got fire, and you don’t want to kill that,” Reader said. “But he’s got to be smarter—for himself and for the team.”
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes echoed a similar sentiment, emphasizing that his team stays focused on the game.
“We play between the whistles,” Mahomes said. “They can do whatever they want after that, but we’re going to stick to football.”
Mahomes later added that Kansas City’s intensity comes from Coach Andy Reid’s leadership.
“We match any team’s energy,” he said. “That’s the mindset we bring every time we step on the field.”
