Brian Branch will not be able to escape the suspension fairy.
The NFL has ruled against the Detroit Lions safety Branch and upheld his one-game suspension after Branch appealed it, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported on Wednesday. Schefter notes that the hearing officer in Branch’s appeal was retired former Pro Bowl receiver Jordy Nelson, who was jointly appointed by the NFL and the NFLPA.
Branch, a 2024 Pro Bowler himself, sparked an ugly incident at the end of last Sunday’s Lions-Kansas City Chiefs game. During the closing moments of the fourth quarter at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Branch ignored Patrick Mahomes’ attempt at a handshake and then struck Chiefs receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster in the helmet with an open palm.
That triggered a sizable scuffle between the two teams as Smith-Schuster sprung up to retaliate. You can see the video of the incident here.
The NFL decided on Monday to suspend Branch for one game without pay. Now Branch will have no choice but to serve that suspension during the Lions’ “Monday Night Football” home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7.
It was always a longshot that the 23-year-old Branch, a former second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, would have any chance of winning his appeal. Even Lions head coach Dan Campbell notably condemned Branch for his behavior after Sunday’s game. It is also possible that the NFL factored in Branch’s history (you may recall that he was ejected from a game last year for a dirty helmet-to-helmet hit on an opponent).
