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Cris Collinsworth reacts to Lions-Chiefs postgame fight, Brian Branch punch

Brian Jones Profile Picby: Brian Jones10/13/25brianjones_93
Lions Chiefs
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

Cris Collinsworth believes the NFL will punish Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch for punching Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster after the Sunday Night Football game. During the broadcast, Collinsworth shared his reaction to the fight.

“The league is going to take action on that one against Branch,” Cris Collinsworth said. Per Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk, Brian Branch is no stranger to being punished by the NFL for his actions. Through the first three years of his career, Banch has accumulated more than $100,000 in fines. Earlier this year, Branch was docked $23,186 for grabbing the facemask of Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft and taunting him.

It’s not clear as to why Branch punched Smith-Schuster, but he wasn’t happy that the Lions lost to the Chiefs 30-17. During his post-game press conference, Lions head coach Dan Campbell issued an apology to the Chiefs for Branch’s actions.

“I love Brian Branch, but what he did was inexcusable, and it’s not going to be accepted here,” Campbell said. “It’s not what we do, it’s not what we’re about. I apologize to Coach (Andy) Reid and the Chiefs and Smith-Schuster. That’s not OK. That’s not what we do here. And it’s not going to be OK. He knows it, our team knows it. So that’s not what we do.”

Brian Branch has been a strong performer for the Lions

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes also shared his reaction to the fight. “They can do all the extracurricular stuff they want to do, but we play the game between the whistles,” Mahomes told Melissa Stark of NBC Sports.

Branch recorded seven tackles in the loss against the Chiefs. Through the first five games of the year, the former Alabama defensive back has notched 26 tackles, one sack, and five passes defended.

The Lions selected Branch in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He finished fifth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting after tallying 74 tackles, one sack, one interception, and 13 passes defended. Last year, Branch reached the Pro Bowl after recording 109 tackles, one sack, four interceptions, and 16 passes defended.