The Kansas City Chiefs’ 30-17 victory over the Detroit Lions ended with a tense altercation. The NFL will decide soon on the confrontation between Brian Branch and JuJu Smith-Schuster, who both lost control in a physical fight.
The incident began at the end of the game. Witnesses said Lions safety Brian Branch refused to shake hands with Patrick Mahomes, who approached midfield to greet him. That gesture angered Smith-Schuster, who confronted Branch. The verbal exchange escalated until Branch slapped the Chiefs receiver’s helmet, knocking him to the ground.
According to Essentiallysports, the situation worsened when Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco tried to intervene. During the struggle, Branch ripped off Smith-Schuster’s helmet, prompting players and staff from both teams to rush in and prevent the fight from escalating further.
NFL reviewing player conduct and possible sanctions
NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that the league is reviewing both players’ behavior to determine possible penalties. A league official stated that disciplinary decisions “were made from that point forward.”
The skirmish between Lions safety Brian Branch and Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster after last night’s game will be reviewed and, in the words of an NFL official, “determinations on discipline made from there.”
📸: Ed Zurga, AP pic.twitter.com/xXdsaibpoB— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 13, 2025
After the incident, Smith-Schuster downplayed the altercation, saying: “I mean, I was just blocking him… I’m just doing my job. I play between whistles.”
Branch admitted his reaction was wrong, acknowledging: “I could have hurt myself on that play. I still shouldn’t have done that.”
Lions head coach Dan Campbell was direct: “I love Brian Branch. But what he did is unforgivable, and it’s not going to be accepted here. That’s not who we are.” Campbell added that he personally apologized to Andy Reid and the Chiefs.
The NFL is expected to announce its decision in the coming days, while both teams aim to move past the controversy and focus on their next challenges.
