Lions DB's wear Brian Branch jerseys to game vs. Bucccaneers to show support during suspension

Detroit Lions defensive backs wore Brian Branch jerseys to Monday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Branch is serving a one-game suspension for his role in last week’s postgame altercation between him and Kansas City Chiefs WR JuJu Smith-Schuster.

“We in his corner,” Lions cornerback Amik Robertson told media after defeating the Bucs 24-9. “We love him.”

All the Lions DBs wore Brian Branch jerseys to the game today to support their suspended brother pic.twitter.com/vKw56XT2Ew

— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) October 21, 2025

According to Kory Woods of MLive, Rock Ya-Sin and Thomas Harper also wore Branch jerseys to show their support for their suspended teammate. Branch is expected back with the team this week when practice resumes, as he was only serving a one-game suspension.

The incident that kept Branch out of the Week 7 Monday Night Football matchup occurred directly after the Lions’ 30-17 loss to the Chiefs last week. When the clock hit triple zero’s, Branch appeared to decline a handshake attempt from Kansas City QB Patrick Mahomes.

Smith-Schuster appeared to take exception to Branch’s decision. This led to the pair exchanging words before Branch struck the Chiefs wideout in the helmet.

Branch was moved away from the situation by teammates but Smith-Schuster followed. The Lions defender pulled Smith-Schuster down to the ground by his face mask, and a scrum to separate the pair ensued.

Branch has since apologized for the incident, calling his actions “childish,” and that it should never have happened. Lions head coach Dan Campbell called Branch’s actions “inexcusable” during the team’s press conference after Week 6.

“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.”

The Lions are on their bye next week, so Branch will have to wait until Nov. 2 before he’s back on the field in a game setting with Detroit. That matchup will be at home against their divisional rival, the Minnesota Vikings.

Branch’s return can’t come soon enough, as he’s been one of the Lions’ most productive defensive backs so far this season. Before Monday, he was the team’s fourth-leading tackler with 33 total (23 solo is good for second-best), has four tackles for loss, five PBUs and a forced fumble to his credit this season.