The NFL has officially handed down its punishment to Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch after his post-game brawl with Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster on Sunday Night Football — and it’s not light.
Branch has been suspended for one game after cameras caught him throwing a punch at Smith-Schuster moments after the final whistle. The heated altercation came after the Lions’ 30-17 loss to Kansas City, a defeat that clearly left emotions running high.
According to reports, the tension started when Branch refused to shake Patrick Mahomes’ hand during postgame greetings. When Smith-Schuster approached him next, Branch’s frustration boiled over, and he swung — sparking a brief scuffle between both teams before security stepped in.
The league didn’t waste time responding. Late Monday, the NFL announced that Branch’s actions violated its unsportsmanlike conduct policy, making it clear that “violence after the whistle” won’t be tolerated.
Branch later admitted that his emotions got the best of him, calling his move “a childish thing,” but he also hinted that opposing players had been “trying to bully” him during the game. “I just snapped,” he said.
Still, the damage is done — and Detroit will now have to move forward without one of its most aggressive defenders when they face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7.
It’s a tough lesson for the young safety, who’s quickly becoming known for his fiery personality and hard-hitting style. But as the NFL made clear, there’s a fine line between passion and poor judgment — and this time, Branch crossed it.
The Lions, riding a wave of momentum early in the season, will hope this suspension is a wake-up call — not the start of a bigger problem inside Detroit’s defense.
NFL Suspends Brian Branch After Explosive Chiefs Brawl — Detroit Fans Furious!
