NFL Makes Final Decision On Punishment For Chiefs vs. Lions Fight

Originally posted on The Spun | By Daniel Bates | Last updated Oct 19, 2025 12:09 PM ET

Last week's postgame brawl between the Chiefs and Lions is something you rarely see after any NFL game and it resulted in a suspension for one of Detroit's better defensive players.

Lions DB Brian Branch was issued a one-game ban by the league, which was upheld upon appeal earlier this week, for his role in punching JuJu Smith-Schuster and setting off the entire melee.

“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,” said Jon Runyan, NFL VP of football operations in an open letter to the Pro Bowl safety.

Now the league has reportedly decided on what further punishments to hand down as a result of Monday night's events.

Oct 12, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch (32) and Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster (9) get into a fight after the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images© Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

NFL decides on Chiefs-Lions discipline

According to NBC's ProFootballTalk, the NFL will not be taking any further action against the other players involved — with Branch being the only party to be handed down a penalty from the league's office.

Adding, "No fines were announced in the weekly like of infractions for the fight. PFT has confirmed, per multiple sources, that there were none."

In fairness Branch's unnecessary act was what started it all and led to Smith-Schuster's retaliation, among others. But it wouldn't be a surprise to learn that players in the Lions' locker room are unhappy with the decision.

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_Refs pic.twitter.com/Ki4xjhHOMD
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) October 13, 2025

Branch addresses actions after game

Speaking to reporters in the postgame media scrum, Branch admitted what he did was "childish" and wrong but was just a matter of him sticking up for himself.

“I did a little childish thing, but I’m tired of people doing stuff in between the play and refs don’t catch it,” Branch claimed. “They be trying to bully me out there and I don’t— I shouldn’t have did it. It was childish.”

It's always an interesting set of circumstances when the bully gets bullied (in this case the Lions' defense vs. Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes). But a lot of Detroit's postgame comments were a bit unbecoming of the "biting kneecaps" team.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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