Stephen A. Smith shared his frustration over the postgame incident between Kansas City and the Detroit Lions on Sunday. The “First Take” host could not hold back his anger. In fact, he urged the NFL to suspend one of the Lions players.
The game also ended Detroit’s four-game winning streak, as the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Lions 30-17 on “Sunday Night Football” at Arrowhead Stadium. However, the ending was overshadowed by controversy.
Calls for suspension after unsportsmanlike conduct
According to Athlonsports, Stephen A. Smith called on the NFL to suspend Brian Branch, the Lions’ defensive back. Branch’s behavior during the postgame handshake exchange was unsportsmanlike.
Branch refused Patrick Mahomes’ handshake and then approached Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and hit him in the facemask. This sparked a fight, leaving Smith-Schuster with a bloody nose. Teammates and staff eventually separated the players.
“Bottom line, [Brian Branch] should be suspended.” 😳 @stephenasmith shares his thoughts on the Lions-Chiefs postgame scuffle. pic.twitter.com/lFsWMh8j0b
— First Take (@FirstTake) October 13, 2025
Afterward, Branch described his action as “childish”. He also expressed frustration, claiming he perceived an uncalled illegal block earlier in the game. He later apologized for his behavior.
On Monday’s “First Take,” Smith did not hold back. He said: “He should be suspended immediately… There is no excuse for that behavior, first of all. Second, moments before, he refused Patrick Mahomes’ handshake. Let’s not forget that… He’s talking about some hit where someone could have been hurt. Was it Mahomes who did it? … Maybe I’m missing something. But most likely it wasn’t Mahomes. That’s unsportsmanlike.”
Smith added: “It reflects badly on him, definitely. It reflects badly on the Detroit Lions… And as far as I’m concerned, since he misrepresented the organization so flagrantly and so publicly, a suspension should come from the league and the Detroit Lions, because he doesn’t need to act that way.”
In response to incidents like this, the NFL has several possible actions, ranging from fines to suspensions. Given Branch’s behavior, it is highly likely he will face a suspension. The league is currently reviewing the incident to determine the most appropriate response.
