The NFL has announced disciplinary action for Lions safety Brian Branch, who ignited a postgame fracas by slapping Chiefs wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster on the helmet after Detroit lost 30-17 to Kansas City on Sunday night.
Branch will be suspended for one game without pay due to unsportsmanlike conduct, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. He may also appeal the decision under the collective bargaining agreement, and per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, he is.
“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," said NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan. "Your conduct reflected poorly on the NFL and has no place in our game.”
Under the CBA, Brian Branch may appeal the suspension. Any appeal will be heard and decided upon by either Derrick Brooks, Ramon Foster, or Jordy Nelson, the hearing officers jointly appointed and compensated by the NFL and NFLPA to decide appeals of on-field player discipline. https://t.co/7QXI9Zie0n
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 13, 2025
The whole thing started as the clock struck zero on Sunday night, when quarterback Patrick Mahomes stuck his hand out for a postgame handshake with Branch. The safety ignored it, opting instead to approach Smith-Schuster, whom he then slapped across the helmet pretty hard and knocked to the ground. Other players immediately got involved and the situation devolved from there; Smith-Schuster even emerged with a bloody nose.
That said, the Chiefs wideout is not entirely innocent in the debacle. Later, Branch revealed that he was frustrated because, earlier, Smith-Schuster had hit him in the back illegally, which not only could have hurt him but wasn't called on the field. Of course, that's not to say Branch should have slapped his opponent. But it better contextualizes why his anger got the better of him; even Mahomes seemed to taunt him at one point.
"I should have shown up between the whistle, not after the game, and I apologize for that," the safety said.
We'll see what else might come of this debacle in the coming days, but for now, one major player has already been punished.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Brian Branch: NFL Makes Disciplinary Decision for Lions' DB After Brawl vs. Chiefs.
