The Sunday Night Football clash between the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions promised fireworks, and it certainly delivered, though not in the way fans expected.
After the Chiefs snapped Detroit’s four-game winning streak with a 30-17 victory, tempers flared postgame. Lions safety Brian Branch threw a punch at Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, leaving him with a bloody nose instead of a postgame handshake. Now, Branch could be facing league discipline for his actions, including a possible suspension.
Will the NFL Suspend Brian Branch?
The altercation unfolded moments after the final whistle of the Chiefs’ 30–17 win, when Lions Branch threw a punch at Smith-Schuster, catching him under the facemask and leaving him with a bleeding nose. The blow appeared to stem from frustration after Branch felt Smith-Schuster had delivered an illegal block earlier in the game that went uncalled.
“I did a little childish thing,” Branch admitted to USA TODAY Sports. “But I’m tired of people doing stuff in between the plays and the ref don’t catch it, trying to bully me out there. But I should’ve never did it. It was childish.”
Patrick Mahomes wanted to give a handshake to Brian Branch, but Branch refused.
Then Branch slapped JuJu Smith Schuster to the ground.
And it got ugly from there. Whoa.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 13, 2025
Smith-Schuster, for his part, downplayed the incident when asked postgame. He acknowledged there was some back-and-forth chatter throughout the matchup but said he didn’t view it as unusual, adding that it was the first time an opponent had ever thrown a punch at him.
NBC analyst Cris Collinsworth didn’t mince words during the broadcast, stating, “The league’s gonna take action on that one against Branch.” Based on previous disciplinary decisions, a suspension appears likely.
In 2021, Cowboys defensive tackle Trysten Hill was suspended for two games without pay after punching Raiders offensive lineman John Simpson following a game in a nearly identical situation. The league’s suspension statement at the time cited violations of Rule 12, Section 2, Article 14(c) and Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1, the same rules Branch’s actions are expected to fall under.
“Suspension for a violation of Rule 12, Section 2, Article 14(c) which prohibits striking, swinging at, or clubbing the head, neck, or face of an opponent with the wrist(s), arm(s), elbow(s), or hand(s), as well as Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1 which prohibits any act which is contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship,” the statement read at the time.
While Branch has accepted responsibility and called his behavior “childish,” the league has historically taken a firm stance on postgame altercations. Given his prior fines and repeat violations, it’s unlikely that his apology will sway the NFL’s decision, making a short suspension the most probable outcome.
