Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch’s appeal of his one-game suspension for fighting after his team’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs has been heard and upheld upon appeal, meaning Branch will officially miss his team’s Week 7 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and forfeit his game check. Per the NFL, Branch’s appeal was heard by Jordy Nelson, the longtime receiver who now works as an appeals officer for the league.
Branch initiated a fight after the Lions’ 30-17 loss to the Chiefs, as he punched receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster following the game-ending kneeldown, triggering a larger skirmish between the two teams. Branch was publicly admonished for his actions by Lions coach Dan Campbell, and he himself expressed remorse despite saying that he had been frustrated with Smith-Schuster’s actions during the game.
“I did a real childish thing,” Branch said. “I’m tired of people doing stuff in between plays and refs don’t catch it. They be trying to bully me out there. I shouldn’t have did it, it was childish.”
Branch’s suspension marks the latest disciplinary action taken toward him by the NFL league office. Branch has already been fined 14 times in his NFL career including four times this season. Prior to Sunday night, Branch had been fined a combined $34,784 for one unsportsmanlike conduct infraction and two unnecessary roughness penalties.
Branch’s suspension deprives the Lions defense of one of their best players entering another tough matchup, as they will play in primetime on Monday night against the 5-1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.