Detroit were undone by Patrick Mahomes and frustrations spilled over

• Last Update: October 13, 2025 09:06:23 am BST • 3 min read

Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell refuses to defend Brian Branch after he throws a punch at JuJu Smith-Schuster

Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell described Brian Branch’s post-game attack on JuJu Smith-Schuster as “inexcusable” and hinted at internal disciplinary action following the 30-17 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night.

Branch snubbed a high-five offer from Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes at the end of the fourth quarter, prompting Smith-Schuster to have words with Branch, who then punched him in the facemask and knocked him to the ground.

Several other players attempted to wade in but not before Branch had ripped Smith-Schuster’s facemask off his head.

Brian Branch started the fight in the field. Brian Branch threw a punch and knocked JuJu Smith-Schuster down. Brian Branch should be suspended. THERE IS NO PLACE IN SPORTS FOR THAT. pic.twitter.com/C8DtVukdlF

— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) October 13, 2025

Mahomes mastery downs Lions

It was an unsavoury ending to a brilliant display from the Chiefs, who moved to 3-3, thanks largely to Mahomes, who completed 22 of 30 passes for 257 passing yards and three TDs. He also had 31 yards on the ground and a rushing touchdown.

“I love Brian Branch,” Campbell said, “but what he did is inexcusable, and it’s not going to be accepted here. It’s not what we do. It’s not what we’re about. I apologized to Coach [Andy] Reid and the Chiefs, and Smith-Schuster. That’s not OK. That’s not what we do here. It’s not going to be OK. He knows it. Our team knows it. That’s not what we do.”

Safety Branch admitted his part in the fracas but insisted he had been provoked by Smith-Schuster.

“It was a childish thing, but I’m tired of people doing stuff in between the play and refs don’t catch it,” Branch said. “They be trying to bully me out there. I should have never did it. It was childish.”

Smith-Schuster was baffled by what happened. He said: “He’s a great player and he’s huge for [their] team. After the game, I expected to shake his hand and say, ‘Good game.’ But he threw a punch.”

#Lions’ Brian Branch says he shouldn’t have been involved in the post-game skirmish but claims they were trying to “bully” him out there. “It was childish,” he said.

Branch says he was blocked in the back illegally at the end of the game in front of refs and grew frustrated. pic.twitter.com/yV6CYcM6hl

— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) October 13, 2025

Lions outplayed by Kansas City

The performance and the post-game melee contributed to a disappointing night for the Lions who arrived at Arrowhead with a 4-1 record and looking to make a statement against the Chiefs.

“We just didn’t make the plays we needed to make,” added Campbell.

“We were able to do some good things in phases at times but not enough for a team like that with the pedigrees they have. We were not able to compliment each other and we were not able to make it a game, really. We weren’t.”