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Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch came clean about his “childish” behavior at the end of the team’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night.
Branch punched Chiefs receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster after he snubbed Patrick Mahomes, who was going to shake his hand. That sparked a wild melee that ended with Smith-Schuster’s helmet on and players from both teams trying to separate the two.
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Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell attempts to pull safety Brian Branch out of the fight after a 30-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, Sunday, October 12, 2025. (Junfu Han/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch (not pictured) and Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster (9) fight after the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on October 12, 2025. (Jay Biggerstaff/Imagn Images)
Branch said he was upset about being blocked at fullback by Smith-Schuster in the fourth quarter.
“I did something that was a little childish, but I’m tired of people doing stuff between games and the referees not understanding,” Branch said. “They’re trying to intimidate me there and I don’t – I shouldn’t have done it. It was childish.”
Branch also faced criticism on social media.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell also condemned Branch’s actions.
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“I love Brian Branch, but what he did is inexcusable and it will not be accepted here. That’s not what we do. That’s not our mission,” Campbell said. “I apologized to coach (Andy) Reid, the Chiefs and Smith-Schuster.
“It’s not right. It’s not what we do here. It’s not going to be okay. He knows it. Our team knows it. It’s not what we do.”
Branch likely faces at least a hefty fine for his actions. He was billed $23,186 for face masking and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties during a Week 1 game against the Green Bay Packers. He could also be suspended.
Brian Branch #32 of the Detroit Lions leaves the field after an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on September 22, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Kansas City won the game 30-17.
