Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell didn’t mince his words after Sunday’s loss at Arrowhead Stadium. He made it clear that Brian Branch’s postgame actions fell short of team standards.
Moments after the team’s 30-17 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs, Branch swung at receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.
The scuffle unfolded seconds after the final whistle when Patrick Mahomes extended his hand toward Branch. The defensive back ignored the quarterback, prompting Smith-Schuster to approach him. The confrontation escalated quickly, ending with Branch landing a punch that left the wideout bloodied.
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“I saw him yesterday before all this came down, he knows it,” Campbell said during his postgame presser. “He’ll learn from it. You can’t take your aggression out on someone else. You can’t cross that line. But he’s an outstanding young man with a great heart.”
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The defeat dropped Detroit to 4-2, halting a four-game winning streak. The offense struggled to find rhythm while the defense forced only one punt. Branch’s frustration reportedly stemmed from an earlier play, when he believed Smith-Schuster hit him with an uncalled block to the back.
Dan Campbell apologizes for Brian Branch’s behavior
Dan Campbell apologized to JuJu Smith-Schuster during his postgame presser.
“I love Brian Branch, but what he did is inexcusable and it’s not going to be accepted here,” Campbell said. “It’s not what we do. It’s not what we’re about. “I apologized to Coach Andy Reid and to Smith-Schuster personally. He knows this isn’t acceptable. Our team knows this isn’t acceptable.”
The NFL suspended Brian Branch for one game. He has already been fined multiple times this season, including $23,186 for earlier conduct penalties.
After the game, Branch admitted fault for his actions but pointed to repeated uncalled hits as a source of frustration.
“I did a little childish thing,” Branch said, via USA Today. “But I’m tired of people doing stuff in between plays and refs don’t catch it. “They try to bully me out there, and I shouldn’t have done it. It was childish.”
Smith-Schuster, who left with a bloody nose, downplayed the exchange and expressed no lingering resentment.
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Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez
