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Brian Branch (Detroit Lions profile photo)
The NFL has suspended Detroit Lions star safety Brian Branch for one game following a post-game skirmish he created after Sunday's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
"Your aggressive, non-football act was entirely unwarranted, posed a serious risk of injury, and clearly violated the standards of conduct and sportsmanship expected of NFL players," NFL VP of football operations Jon Runyan said in a letter to Branch, per the league’s statement, according to NFL.com. "Your conduct reflected poorly on the NFL and has no place in our game."
Branch, 23, who joined the Lions in 2023, is appealing the suspension, reports NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.
Branch sparked what turned into a scrum between the two teams after the game was over when he struck Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster in the face.
Detroit Lions Coach Dan Campbell said at a press conference:
"I love Brian Branch, but what he did is inexcusable and it's not going to be accepted here. It's not what we do; it's not what we're about. I apologized to Coach Reid, the Chiefs, and Smith-Schuster. That's not OK. That's not what we do here, and it's not gonna be OK. He knows it, our team knows it. That's not what we do."
Branch said he got frustrated after being hit illegally in the back during the game, and the refs didn’t catch it. He said they tried to bully him out there, but he shouldn’t have done what he did.
Brian Branch started the fight in the field. Brian Branch threw a punch and knocked JuJu Smith-Schuster down. Brian Branch should be suspended. THERE IS NO PLACE IN SPORTS FOR THAT. pic.twitter.com/C8DtVukdlF
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) October 13, 2025
#Lions’ Brian Branch says he shouldn’t have been involved in the post-game skirmish but claims they were trying to “bully” him out there. “It was childish,” he said.
— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) October 13, 2025
Branch says he was blocked in the back illegally at the end of the game in front of refs and grew frustrated. pic.twitter.com/yV6CYcM6hl
