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By Jordan Sigler
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Sunday night's matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions got chippy towards the end of the game. Lions safety Brian Branch took issue with Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster appearing to block him in the back late in the fourth quarter.
More News: Lions’ Brian Branch Reveals Why He Punched Chiefs WR Juju Smith-Schuster
Branch refused to shake the hand of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes after the contest. The safety then slapped Smith-Schuster, causing the wide receiver to fall to the ground. A brawl between the Chiefs and Lions broke out soon after.
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More News: Huge Brawl Breaks Out at End of Chiefs-Lions Game
Per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the league suspended Branch one game without pay. He will miss Detroit's contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on "Monday Night Football" in Week 7.
"Lions S Brian Branch, who popped Chiefs WR JuJu Smith-Schuster in the face after the loss to KC, was suspended one game by the NFL," Rapoport posted on X. "Detroit plays the Bucs on MNF."
In his ruling, Jon Runyan, NFL vice president of football operations, called Branch's actions "aggressive" and "unwarranted."
“Your aggressive, non-football act was entirely unwarranted, posed a serious risk of injury, and clearly violated the standards of conduct and sportsmanship expected of NFL players," Runyan wrote, via a post from Rapoport. "Your conduct reflected poorly on the NFL and has no place in our game.”
When speaking to reporters after the game, Branch apologized and called his actions "childish."
Lions head coach Dan Campbell called out Branch for his behavior.
“It’s not going to be accepted here,” Campbell said. “It’s not what we do, it’s not what we’re about … That’s not OK. That’s not what we do here, and it’s not going to be OK."
Branch's absence could be significant against the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield has entered the chatter for the league MVP by having a solid season through his first six games. The Buccaneers are 5-1.
(Update): Per Rapoport, Branch is appealing the NFL's ruling.
The Lions dropped to 4-2 with the 30-17 loss to Kansas City on "Sunday Night Football."
For more on the Lions and the NFL, head to Newsweek Sports.
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