Lions players angry about NFL Films’ video of Brian Branch

The video was ultimately deleted after Lions fans suggested it needlessly targeted Branch and made him look bad. The league ultimately deleted the video, saying in a statement to The Athletic that while the breakdown made sense in the 9-minute segment on that game, it “felt overly critical to Brian Branch” while lacking context.

Riddick, who narrated the piece, issued his own statement on X, saying there was no attempt to do a “hit piece” against Branch, and that he understood how the clip “could be taken as an attempt to cast the Lions or Brian Branch in a calculated, unfavorable manner.”

Lions players were still bothered by the clip.

“I thought that video was crazy. I don’t know why it was released, the reasoning behind it,” wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown said, via Eric Woodyard of ESPN. “As I was watching, I remember it popped up and I was like, ‘I don’t know if it was like a trick or mockery.’ I clicked the NFL and I didn’t know if it was actually them. And it was. So I don’t know the reasoning why they posted it or what they got out of that.”

Defensive tackle DJ Reader even said the video made him wonder how he could “trust the shield” and questioned whether the league would have his back if needed.

Branch’s frustration led him to throw a punch at JuJu Smith-Schuster at the end of the game, a move that led to a one-game suspension. The suspension itself was already controversial among some of the Lions, and the addition of the video made them feel that the league was trying to smear Branch. That was not the intent, but lacking context, the clip did feel like piling on a bit.