Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1). Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Lions Brian Branch, Jameson Williams Receive Week 1 Fines

Originally posted on Detroit Lions on SI
By Christian Booher | Last updated Sep 13, 2025 4:45 PM ET

The Detroit Lions had a pair of players fined for their actions in the Week 1 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Safety Brian Branch and wide receiver Jameson Williams both received financial punshiments, the league announced Saturday. Branch was fined $23,186, while Williams was fined $11.593. Packers safety Xavier McKinney was also hit with an $11,593 fine from Sunday's game.

Branch received his fines for taunting and a facemask penalty, while Williams was fined for taunting. The NFL has cracked down on taunting early in the 2025 season, as it was a point of emphasis during the offseason.

In the first quarter, Branch grabbed Packers tight end Tucker Kraft's helmet by the facemask and ripped it off, tossing it to the sideline and resulting in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

#Lions S Brian Branch was fined for unsportsmanlike conduct ($11,593) and unnecessary roughness ($11,593) for removing Tucker Kraft's helmet early in Sunday's game vs. the #Packers.

WR Jameson Williams received a $11,593 fine for taunting in the 2Q pic.twitter.com/s2IJy1iKHp
— Nolan Bianchi (@nolanbianchi) September 13, 2025

These two players paid the most in fines last season, with Branch leading the team with a total of $70,896. Williams, meanwhile, was fined $70,346. Last year in the Lions' trip to Lambeau Field, Branch was ejected and fined a total of $20,256 for a helmet-to-helmet hit and a gesture he made walking off the field.

Since entering the league in 2023, Branch has been fined a total of $118,391 over his three NFL seasons.

First-year defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard was asked about accountability during his weekly press conference. Following the season-opening loss, and the defensive struggles throughout the game, he noted that the accountability would be kept in house rather than aired out publicly.

“Any accountability player-to-player, coach-to-player, will stay between us. No disrespect or anything like that but I keep that stuff close to the vest because of the level of trust that we’ve built and the way we’re able to look each other in the eye on Monday and shoot it straight," Sheppard said. "So I will never disclose those conversations. But, you guys see the game and we see the tape, I think it’s clear as day. And then I have to do things to help these guys more too. Everybody knows we’re a man team, so how can I help these guys in those man situations, in those man windows where we’ve shown we’re going to play man.”

A total of 16 plays resulted in fines in Week 1, and among others fined was former Lions defensive end Jonah Williams. Now a New Orleans Saint, Williams was hit with a fine for a facemask.

The NFL fined #Lions WR Jameson Williams $11,593 for taunting after this catch in last week’s loss to the #Packers. pic.twitter.com/xJMYbSyhas
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 13, 2025