Things got heated on Sunday night when Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch strode toward the Kansas City Chiefs’ sideline. First, he seemed to snub a handshake from Patrick Mahomes, and then, out of nowhere, he slapped JuJu Smith-Schuster right across the facemask. And now, head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes have something to say about it.

Immediately after the dust settled, Mahomes spoke to NBC, and he didn’t hide his annoyance. “We play the game between the whistles. They can do all the extra-curricular stuff they want to do, but we just play the game in between the whistles,” he said. The Chiefs’ star made it clear that he isn’t letting Branch’s antics dictate the tone.

Meanwhile, Reid addressed the messiness too, at the end of the game, pointing out the obvious: “The guy came up and hit JuJu… for what looked like no good reason.” The head coach also informed that the player came away with a bloody nose. “That’s tough, and he did pretty good damage on JuJu’s nose.” The disappointment was real. In fact, JuJu Smith addressed the incident, too.

“He’s a great player and he’s huge for [their] team,” Smith-Schuster said of Branch. “After the game, I expected to shake his hand and say, ‘Good game.’ But he threw a punch…..I know he’s a better player than that, a better person. He’ll learn from his mistakes.” Clearly, Branch crossed the line. And Branch himself knows that. But why did he target Smith?

The Lions safety owned up to his actions in the fight while claiming Smith-Schuster pushed him. “It was a childish thing, but I’m tired of people doing stuff in between the play and refs don’t catch it,” Branch said. “They be trying to bully me out there. I should have never did it. It was childish.” He further added that Schuster’s uncalled blindside block late in the game provoked him to hit the Chiefs’ WR.

Anyway, now, it’s almost certain he’ll face a fine from the league. As for Smith-Schuster, the league will decide if he gets any punishment for his part in the scuffle. But if we go back to history, Branch has been fined over $100,000. The worst part is, he has already been fined three times in 2025 and seven times last season. The recent one would only increase the toll on him and his image.

Either way, the drama left fans buzzing long after the final whistle. But interestingly, the Lions’ head coach has refused to defend Brian Branch after the incident.

Dan Campbell apologizes for Brian Branch’s mistake

There was plenty for Dan Campbell to be furious about after the Lions’ rough Week 6 showdown against the Chiefs. The game had already tested Detroit’s composure, but defensive back Brian Branch made sure emotions didn’t cool off afterward. Right after the final whistle, his unnecessary altercation added another headache for Campbell. And the head coach didn’t hold back when asked about it. He made one thing clear — he wasn’t standing behind it.

“Let me start with this,” Campbell told reporters. “I love Brian Branch, but what he did is inexcusable, and it’s not going to be accepted here. It’s not what we do, it’s not what we’re about.” That’s the kind of statement you expect from a coach who’s built his locker room on toughness and accountability. Campbell didn’t sugarcoat it. He wanted everyone to know that respect still matters in the Motor City.

Then came the apology. “I apologize to coach [Andy] Reid and the Chiefs and [JuJu Smith-]Schuster. That’s not OK. That’s not what we do here, and it’s not gonna be OK. He knows it, our team knows it. That’s not what we do.” Campbell owned the moment — even when he didn’t have to.

Football can be an emotional game, sure. Tempers flare. But crossing the line like that leaves no defense. And honestly, Campbell did what any strong coach would — protect the team’s image, not the mistake.