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The NFL announced that Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch was suspended one game without pay for his fight with Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster on Sunday night.
“Your aggressive, non-football act was completely unjustified, posed a serious risk of injury and clearly violated the standards of conduct and sportsmanship expected of NFL players,” Jon Runyan, NFL vice president of football operations, wrote in a letter to Branch, per ESPN. “Your conduct reflects poorly on the NFL and has no place in our game.”
Branch would appeal his suspension, according to NFL Network.
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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)
Branch is currently expected to miss the team’s Monday night game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7.
The incident occurred after the Lions fell to the Chiefs, 30-17, on Sunday night. Patrick Mahomes was seen trying to high-five Branch, but Branch completely ignored him and approached Smith-Schuster. They exchanged a few words and Branch began slapping Smith-Schuster on the helmet.
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Smith-Schuster fell to the ground, but quickly got back to his feet and charged at Branch. Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco tried to get between them to end the altercation, but Branch ripped off Smith-Schuster’s helmet as players from both teams began to get involved in the melee.
After the players and coaches finally got the situation under control, Branch regretted his decision to start the fight.
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)
“It was a childish thing, but I’m tired of people doing stuff between games and the refs not understanding,” Branch said. “They’re trying to intimidate me there. I should never have done it. It was childish.”
Lions head coach Dan Campbell also condemned Branch’s actions after the game.
“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.”
Brian Branch of the Detroit Lions and the NFC on the cover during the 2025 NFL Pro Bowl Games at Camping World Stadium on February 2, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
Branch has already been fined this season for an unsportsmanlike situation. He was awarded $23,186 for face mask and unsportsmanlike penalties against the Green Bay Packers in September.
