The Detroit Lions’ coach was forced to issue an apology after one of his players waged a bloody brawl with the Kansas City Chiefs after Sunday night’s 30-17 loss.
“It’s not what we do. It’s not what we’re about. I apologized to Coach [Andy] Reid and the Chiefs, and Smith-Schuster. That’s not OK. That’s not what we do here. It’s not going to be OK. He knows it,” Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell said. “Our team knows it. That’s not what we do.”
The brawl came after the Lions dropped the game to the Chiefs in Kansas City. After the game concluded, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes tried to high-five Branch near midfield, but Branch walked past him, offending Smith-Schuster, who walked up to Branch to speak with him, according to ESPN.
Branch responded by striking Smith-Schuster across his facemask, sending him to the ground. After leaping to his feet, Smith-Schuster went after Branch, who then ripped the Chiefs’ player’s helmet off as players from both teams tried to intervene.
“I love Brian Branch, but what he did is inexcusable, and it’s not going to be accepted here,” Campbell said.
Smith-Schuster, who was smacked and thrown to the ground, said he expected better from Branch.
“He’s a great player and he’s huge for [their] team,” he said. “After the game, I expected to shake his hand and say, ‘Good game.’ But he threw a punch.”
Smith-Schuster, who walked away from the fight with a bloody nose, noted that he blocked Branch toward the end of the game, which was likely what prompted the brawl.
“I’m just doing my job,” he said. “I play between the whistles.”
Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid also spoke about the fight in his post-game comments, according to KMBC.
“We’l, you guys saw it. I mean, it was, you know, the guy came up and hit JuJu for what looked like no reason,” Reid said. “We were taking a knee, that’s tough. I mean, they put pretty good damage on JuJu’s nose.”
The win moved the Chiefs to 3-3 on the season, while the Lions fell to 4-2.
Social media had strong reactions following the brawl.
‘I’d like to use my platform to not ask, but DEMAND that Brian Branch gets suspended for his Week 7 game, whoever that may be against. The NFL needs to have a high standard and send a message that this type of behavior is unacceptable. Do it!,” Barstool Sports commentator Steven Cheah wrote on X.
‘Loser energy from Brian Branch. Every post-game players shake hands and give respect to their opponents Ignoring Patrick Mahomes is petty but isn't a big deal, smacking Juju Smith-Schuster is RIDICULOUS,” fellow commentator Dalton Feely stated on social media.
‘This is the most fight the Lions showed all night,” one social media poster quipped.
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