Former Alabama DB Brian Branch throws punch at end of Sunday Night Football loss
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Former Alabama defensive back Brian Branch threw a punch before exiting the field after Detroit’s 30-17 loss in Kansas City on Sunday night.
Branch’s punch was aimed at Chiefs wide receive Juju Smith-Schuster. Here’s a clip of the incident:
In his postgame meeting with reporters, Branch said he was on the receiving end of an illegal block in the back that he took exception to.
“They were trying to bully me out there,” Branch said. “I shouldn’t have did it. It was childish.
Here’s a clip of the block-in-the-back that seems to have frustrated Branch:
Lions head coach Dan Campbell also addressed the incident after the game in his press conference.
“I love Brian Branch but what he did is inexcusable,” Campbell said. “And it’s not gonna be accepted here. It’s not what we do and it’s not what we’re about. I apologize to coach Reid and the Chiefs.
“It’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.”
Branch is in his third season with the Lions after being selected as a second-round pick out of Alabama in the 2023 NFL Draft. Branch has quickly established himself as one of the best safeties in the NFL. He’s recorded 33 tackles, 4 tackles for loss and 5 pass deflections so far this season.
The Lions play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night Football next week.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
