The Detroit Lions endured their second defeat of the 2025 campaign on Sunday night, falling short against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
During the second quarter, linebacker Jack Campbell attempted a forceful punch-out while tackling Chiefs wideout Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, a move that quickly drew scrutiny from the NFL.
By Friday, defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard disclosed that the league had distributed a memo and video to the Lions organization addressing the issue.
“The NFL sent a teaching tape reminding defenders to aim for the football, not the player, when trying to create fumbles,” Sheppard explained, referencing the incident involving Campbell.
However, Campbell’s play wasn’t the only event that caught the league’s eye. Following the emotional finish to the Lions-Chiefs contest, safety Brian Branch received a one-game suspension after taking a swing at JuJu Smith-Schuster, which triggered a postgame scuffle.
Speaking to reporters, Sheppard noted that he pulled Branch aside for guidance based on his own playing experience.
“I see it as my responsibility to mentor him,” Sheppard said via Dave Birkett. “I’ve been that player before — walking that fine line between intensity and control. I told him, ‘You’ve got 60 minutes to unleash everything between the whistles — and then leave it on the field.’”
With emotions still high, the Lions now shift focus to Week 7’s Monday Night Football clash against Baker Mayfield and the 5-1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, hoping to rebound and reassert themselves in the NFC race.
