Lions’ Brian Branch faces possible suspension for postgame hit

Detroit defensive back Brian Branch believed he was blocked in the back illegally without officials calling a penalty during the Lions’ 30-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night.

So, once the game was over, Branch took matters into his own hands — or rather, by his own hand.

After the final play, Branch approached the player he later said was responsible for the illegal block, Chiefs receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Hit him hard On the left side of his face mask is an open hand.

Smith-Schuster took a knee but immediately popped up and went after Branch. The two players brawled briefly, with Smith-Schuster losing his helmet and ending up on the ground, while other players and coaches tried to intervene.

Speaking with reporters after the game, Branch apologized and took responsibility for his actions while also trying to explain why he was angry.

“I did something a little childish,” the third-year player said. “But I’m tired of people doing things between plays that the referees don’t understand. Like, they were trying to bully me there and I don’t think – I shouldn’t have done that. It was childish.”

When asked to explain what happened during the match, Branch said: “I was illegally tackled from behind, and it was in front of the referee. The referee didn’t do anything, just stuff like that. I could have been hurt by that, but I still shouldn’t have done it.”

Branch said later in the interview that he should have taken his frustrations out within the rules of the game “between the sirens, not after the game, and I apologize for that.”

Branch was fined $23,186 earlier this season for wearing a face mask and unsportsmanlike conduct during a game against the Green Bay Packers. An NFL spokesperson told the Times that he could face another fine and possibly a suspension for his actions Sunday night. There is no timetable for a decision on this issue.

The Chiefs offense and Lions defense were on the field for the final game. As soon as the final whistle blew, Branch appeared Walk past right Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who extended his hand for a postgame handshake, confronted Smith-Schuster.

Smith-Schuster told reporters in the locker room: “After the match, I expected to shake his hand and say: Good game, and then walk away, but he threw a punch.” “At the end of the day, it’s a team sport. We came here, we did our job, we won, and that’s all that matters.”

Smith-Schuster was asked what led to the accident.

“I mean I just block him,” the ninth-year receiver said. “I mean I’m just doing my job. I play between the sirens and after the game he takes advantage of what he did.”

Smith-Schuster reportedly had a bloodied nose from the hit. There were no signs of blood at the time of his post-match interview, but Smith-Schuster confirmed that he was bleeding.

Detroit coach Dan Campbell — who declared during his introductory news conference in 2021 that his team would bite opponents’ kneecaps — told reporters that Branch’s actions were unacceptable.

“I love Brian Branch, but what he did is unforgivable and will not be tolerated here,” Campbell said. “This is not what we do. This is not who we are. I apologized to the coach [Andy] Reed, Chiefs and Schuster. This is not good. That’s not what we do here. It won’t be okay. He knows that. Our team knows this. That’s not what we do.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.