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NFL announced that Detroit Lions cornerback Brian Branch has been suspended one game without pay for his fight with Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster on Sunday night.
“Your aggressive, unfootball behavior was completely unwarranted, posed a serious risk of injury and clearly violated the standards of conduct and sportsmanship expected of NFL players,” John Runyan, the NFL’s vice president of football operations, wrote in a letter to Branch. via ESPN. “Your behavior reflects poorly on the NFL and has no place in our game.”
Branch will reportedly appeal his suspension, according to NFL Network.
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Brian Branch #32 of the Detroit Lions walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on September 22, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Cooper Neal/Getty Images)
Branch is currently eligible to miss the team's Monday night game against Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 7 weeks.
The incident occurred after the Lions lost 30-17 to the Chiefs on Sunday night. Patrick Mahomes was seen trying to give Branch a high five, but Branch completely ignored him and walked over to Smith-Schuster. The two exchanged a few words and Branch hit Smith-Schuster in the helmet.
Smith-Schuster fell to the ground, but quickly rose to his feet and lunged at Branch. The leaders are running back Isaiah Pacheco tried to get between them to break up the altercation, but Branch ripped off Smith-Schuster's helmet as players from both teams began to intervene.
After the players and coaches finally got the situation under control, Branch regretted his decision to take the fight.
Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch (not pictured) and Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (9) get into a fight after a game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Oct. 12, 2025. (Jay Biggerstaff/Imagn Images)
“It was childish, but I'm tired of people doing things between games and the refs not noticing it,” Branch said. “They are there trying to intimidate me. I should never have done this. 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 unforgivable and it will not be accepted here. That's not what we do. That's not what we do,” Campbell said. “I apologized to Coach (Andy) Reid, the Chiefs and Smith-Schuster.
“This is not good. We don't do that here. It won't be good. He knows it. Our team knows this. That's not what we do.”
Brian Branch of the Detroit Lions and NFC reports during the 2025 NFL Pro Bowl games at Camping World Stadium on February 2, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
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Branch has already been fined this season for unsportsmanlike behavior. In September, he was fined $23,186 for a mask and unsportsmanlike penalty against the Green Bay Packers.
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