Washington Commanders defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw was right all along. After Sunday’s loss to the Detroit Lions, Kinlaw was angry over teammate Daron Payne’s ejection in the second quarter for throwing a punch at Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Kinlaw said St. Brown started things, throwing the first punch. Even more, Kinlaw said it happened right in front of an official. As it turns out, Kinlaw was right.
First, here’s the punch that got Payne ejected and suspended for Washington’s Week 11 game against the Dolphins in Madrid.
#Commanders DL Daron Payne has been EJECTED. He randomly punched Amon-Ra St. Brown after the play: pic.twitter.com/gnEqgYtCCR
— Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) November 9, 2025
Here’s what Kinlaw said after the game.
“Daron only retaliated because the refs literally saw the first punch,” Kinlaw said after the game. “I don’t blame him for the way he reacted. Tempers got to flying. I mean, it is what it is — it’s a physical game; shit happens. But, on my end, I just got to be smarter in some situations and protect the team.”
Now, for the evidence.
Payne, who was suspended on Monday and had his appeal denied, took to his Instagram page to share the following video, proving what Kinaw said was correct.
It seems this is the moment Javon Kinlaw was talking about when he said after the Commanders’ loss to the Lions that Amon-Ra St. Brown punched Daron Payne first.
Payne, who was suspended 1 game for later punching St. Brown, posted this on his IG. https://t.co/9vAfr1bEIupic.twitter.com/08FY1WQ1XD
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) November 11, 2025
For his part, St. Brown explained things much differently.
“I mean, I think two plays before that, we got into a little scuffle, back and forth, whatever, this, that, and the other, and then we end up scoring, and I go up to him,” St. Brown said. “I say a little something, nothing crazy, and then he decides to swing on me, so, I mean, it is what it is.”
Oh, really?
The ball is in your court, NFL. Look, first of all, Payne was still in the wrong for throwing a punch. He knows better. But if he missed half of one game and is suspended without pay for one full game, then it’s only fair that St. Brown receives the same punishment.
St. Brown blatantly lied. The NFL loves to say it can’t reverse calls on instant replay without indisputable evidence. It doesn’t get any more indisputable than the video Payne shared. This isn’t about overturning a play during a game, where you only have so many seconds or minutes to make a decision.
If the NFL would do the right thing — which is sometimes asking a lot — it would suspend St. Brown for Detroit’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: NFL should suspend Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown
