The aftermath of Sunday’s Lions–Commanders game just took a dramatic twist. What started as a fiery on-field altercation between Amon-Ra St. Brown and Daron Payne has now escalated into a major controversy, prompting a former Commanders star to call for the NFL to investigate further. 

A newly surfaced video appears to show Detroit wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown hitting Washington defensive tackle Daron Payne before the punch that led to Payne’s ejection and suspension. And now, former Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III has shared his thoughts on X. 

“If this was a closed fist punch by Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, he too should be suspended for a game. Happened right in front of the Ref and nothing was done like Javon Kinlaw said.” Robert Griffin III posted.

His remarks came after Payne reportedly shared the new footage on his private Instagram story with the caption, “Oh ok.” The video captures St. Brown and Payne standing next to each other in the second quarter, with Payne shoving the receiver. St. Brown then appears to hit Payne in the head as a referee tries to intervene. Moments later, after the Lions scored to make it 22-3, Payne retaliated by striking St. Brown across his facemask. He was immediately ejected and later handed a one-game suspension without pay, which the NFL upheld following an appeal.

St. Brown acknowledged that there was some tension between them before the punch, but stopped short of admitting to any physical contact.

“I say a little something, nothing crazy, and he decides to swing on me. It is what it is,” he told reporters after the game.

The league’s decision has sparked criticism from Commanders players and fans, who feel the punishment overlooked the context. Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw previously claimed that referees “saw the first hit” but only penalized Payne.

For the struggling 3-7 Commanders, Payne’s suspension is yet another setback for a team already missing Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin. But as the video spreads, the debate over who truly started the fight and whether the NFL acted fairly is only getting louder.

Robert Griffin III breaks silence on Jayden Daniels comparisons

The deja vu is hard to ignore. A young Washington quarterback. A dynamic rookie season. A devastating injury against the Seattle Seahawks on the same field, and also nearly the same yard line, where Robert Griffin III’s career turned

“Nope, I am a positive thinker,” Griffin said on his Outta Pocket with RGIII podcast. “I believe that he will bounce back as long as they give him the proper amount of time to fully heal.”

Daniels, at just 24, dislocated his left elbow in Week 9 against Seattle and has been sidelined for three games. While fans quickly started drawing comparisons to Griffin’s notorious knee injury back in 2012, which also occurred against the Seahawks, the 2012 Offensive Rookie of the Year is adamant that the two situations are worlds apart. 

“Everyone keeps mentioning me on social media, going into all these diatribes about how they’re comparing my situation to Jayden Daniels,” Griffin said. “But they’re really not even close to the same,” he added.

Griffin highlighted three key differences. First off, the Washington organization is no longer in a mess.

“There’s no infighting,” he said. “The head coach and the owner aren’t fighting about who they want the quarterback to be.”

With Josh Harris, Dan Quinn, and Adam Peters at the helm, Griffin believes the Commanders are now built on a foundation of stability instead of chaos.

Secondly, Daniels has a safety net of experienced players that Griffin never had. Secondly, Daniels has a safety net of experienced players that Griffin never had, including stars like Terry McLaurin, Zach Ertz, and Bobby Wagner, plus an offensive coordinator in Kliff Kingsbury who understands mobile quarterbacks. 

And third, Griffin says Quinn isn’t coaching for his job. “When a coach is on the hot seat, they make different decisions,” he said. “That is what happened in my situation in Washington.”

For Washington, that message may be exactly what’s needed, a reminder that history doesn’t have to repeat itself if the team finally learns from its past.