Chiefs vs. Lions fight: How Brian Branch started postgame scuffle with Patrick Mahomes, JuJu Smith-Schuster originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Just as the Kansas City Chiefs were securing their 30-17 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday night, a scuffle broke out.
Patrick Mahomes had just taken a knee after a four-touchdown performance. But just as he did so, Lions safety Brian Branch and Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster exchanged hits, causing both teams to get into a shoving match around the middle of the field.
Just prior to the scuffle, Mahomes appeared to offer a handshake to Branch, who ignored him. Earlier in the game, Mahomes had celebrated a rushing touchdown directly in front of the Detroit defender, who also felt he was blocked illegally by Smith-Schuster.
On Monday, the NFL announced a one-game suspension for Branch for his role in the incident.
Here’s a breakdown of how Chiefs vs. Lions on “Sunday Night Football” ended in a physical altercation between the two sides, led by Branch and Smith-Schuster.
MORE: How Lions had touchdown called back for illegal motion vs. Chiefs
Chiefs vs. Lions fight: Brian Branch swings at JuJu Smith-Schuster
Two known things prefaced the Mahomes, Smith-Schuster and Branch situation to end Sunday’s matchup. First was the quarterback’s rushing touchdown earlier in the night. As Mahomes ran up the middle into the end zone, Branch had approached him at the last second.
After scoring, Mahomes appeared to turn toward Branch, spin the football and point at him while celebrating.
Patrick Mahomes flexed on Brian Branch… pic.twitter.com/6allw946HG
— Woodward Sports Network (@woodwardsports) October 13, 2025
Mahomes keeps it for the rushing TD!
DETvsKC on NBC
Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/MaGwHRiiuL— NFL (@NFL) October 13, 2025
Later in the game, Smith-Schuster hit Branch with a block that the Lions safety took exception to. This added to frustrations as Branch felt the block was illegal.
Brian Branch blocked in back by JuJu Smith-Schuster video pic.twitter.com/I1zB58tUXa
— Jimmy Liao MD | Detroit Lions Morning Rounds (@JimmyLiaoMD) October 13, 2025
Flash forward to the end of the Week 6 game, as the Chiefs were taking a knee to seal the win, Branch was unhappy. As the safety was walking past Mahomes, the Kansas City star offered him a handshake, even touching Branch’s arm to get his attention.
Branch completely ignored Mahomes, and Smith-Schuster appeared to notice and confront Branch about that interaction. Just after Mahomes made his final knee to end the game, Branch then approached Smith-Schuster, hitting him in the helmet.
Smith-Schuster retaliated just as the Chiefs’ bench came onto the field to break it up and Lions players came in for support as well. By the end, there was a mess of players either shoving one another or trying to break up the altercation.
A fight broke out at the end of the Lions-Chiefs game.
The events that led to it:
◽️ Brian Branch refused to shake hands with Patrick Mahomes
◽️ JuJu Smith-Schuster confronted Branch
◽️ Branch slapped Smith-Schuster🎥 @SNFonNBC | H/T @Rate_the_Refspic.twitter.com/Ki4xjhHOMD
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) October 13, 2025
Brawl at the end of Sunday Night Football between Brian Branch and Juju Smith-Schuster. #detroitlions#kansascitychiefs#NFL#DETvsKCpic.twitter.com/sdcWsMp4WA
— Talking Grit: Detroit Lions Podcast (@talkinggritpod) October 13, 2025
Mahomes stepped in toward the altercation when he noticed Branch and Smith-Schuster going at it.
HUGE FIGHT IN CHIEFS-LIONS
MAHOMES STEPS IN!! pic.twitter.com/85Gst4NWGB
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) October 13, 2025
Here’s another angle of the full interaction. Mahomes takes the knee, Branch walks towards Smith-Schuster and hits him, then Smith-Schuster sprints back and hits Branch back as the two sparked the incident in the middle of the field.
Chiefs and Lions scuffle post game. pic.twitter.com/GHO8y3oKia
— Zachary 🏙️ (@ZachIsHere) October 13, 2025
A photo of Isiah Pacheco tackling Branch postgame also emerged from the interaction:
This photo of Isiah Pacheco, Brian Branch and JuJu Smith-Schuster 😳
(📸: Ed Zurga, AP) pic.twitter.com/FNgsg6LeyJ
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) October 13, 2025
Smith-Schuster was seen walking to the locker room with a towel over his nose after the altercation.
JuJu Smith-Schuster took a punch from Lions safety Brian Branch at the end of the #Chiefs 30-17 win….holding a towel to his nose on his way to the lockerroom. pic.twitter.com/FL47w3lhS7
— Sports Radio 810 WHB (@SportsRadio810) October 13, 2025
Postgame, Smith-Schuster spoke on the incident, saying, “I think after the game, I expected to shake his hand and say ‘good game,’ and move past the play but he threw a punch and, at the end of the day, it’s a team sport.”
A sampling from the #Chiefs locker room after a quality win over Detroit tonight. pic.twitter.com/UBivUz6TOq
— Harold R. Kuntz (@HaroldRKuntz3) October 13, 2025
While he was left bloodied, Smith-Schuster is not believed to have suffered any structural damage to his nose.
MORE:Updates, highlights from Chiefs vs. Lions
What did Patrick Mahomes say about Brian Branch?
Postgame, Mahomes was asked by NBC’s broadcast crew about the scuffle.
“They can do all the extracurricular stuff they want to do, but we play the game in-between the whistles,” Mahomes said.
NBC’s Melissa Stark: “What just happened there at the end of the game?”
Patrick Mahomes: “I mean, we play the game in between the whistles. They can do all the extracurricular stuff they want to do, but we play the game in between the whistles.” 🏈🎙️ #NFLhttps://t.co/pIkIXwPYP4pic.twitter.com/TGGaQIUJDq
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 13, 2025
Brian Branch suspension
On Monday, the NFL announced a one-game suspension without pay for Branch for his role in the incident with Smith-Schuster. Branch will reportedly appeal that suspension, but should he wind up serving it in Week 7, he’d miss the Lions’ Monday night matchup against the .
“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,” NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan wrote to Branch, per Tom Pelissero. “Your conduct reflected poorly on the NFL and has no place in our game.”
Lions head coach Dan Campbell called Branch’s actions “inexcusable” postgame.
“It’s not what we’re about,” Campbell said. “That’s not what we do here.”
Dan Campbell: “I love Brian Branch but that was inexcusable.” pic.twitter.com/aUwa0i7wqz
— Nolan Bianchi (@nolanbianchi) October 13, 2025
Branch also spoke on the incident postgame, saying “I did a little childish thing,” though he added that “I’m tired of people doing stuff in between the plays and the ref don’t catch it, trying to bully me out there. But I should have never did it. It was childish.”
#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