The Kansas City Chiefs secured a 30-17 victory against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, October 12, but the game concluded with an unexpected brawl that drew attention away from the scoreboard.
As players exited Arrowhead Stadium, Patrick Mahomes, 30, attempted to greet Detroit safety Brian Branch, 23, with a high-five. Branch, however, dismissed the gesture, igniting tensions on the field.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, a wide receiver for the Chiefs, noticed Branch's snub and confronted him near midfield. The situation escalated quickly when Branch retaliated by striking Smith-Schuster in the facemask, sending him to the ground.
Smith-Schuster sprang back to his feet and charged at Branch, prompting players from both teams to rush in and separate the two. The aftermath left Smith-Schuster with a bloody nose and many spectators bewildered by the sudden eruption of violence.
“He’s a great player and he’s huge for [their] team,” Smith-Schuster remarked about Branch. “After the game, I expected to shake his hand and say, ‘Good game.’ But he threw a punch.”
Mahomes later commented on the incident during his postgame interview with NBC's Melissa Stark. “We play the game in between the whistles,” he stated. “They can do all the extracurricular stuff they want to do.”
In his press conference, Mahomes elaborated on the physical nature of the game. “That’s a physical team, and they have a mentality that they come in to play with,” he said. “We’re not afraid to go up against anybody.”
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, 67, expressed confusion over the altercation. “The guy came up and hit JuJu for what looked like no reason,” he said. “That’s tough, and he did pretty good damage on JuJu’s nose.”
Branch later explained his actions, citing frustration over an uncalled block from Smith-Schuster earlier in the game. “I could’ve got hurt off of that play,” he admitted. “I still shouldn’t have done that.”
He further reflected on his behavior, calling it “childish” and expressing his annoyance at perceived bullying on the field. “I should have never did it,” he added.
As of now, the NFL has not issued any fines or suspensions related to the brawl. Notably, Branch was fined $23,186 last month for face-masking and unsportsmanlike conduct during a previous game against the Green Bay Packers.
The Chiefs improved their record to 3-3 with this win and will face off against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, October 19. Meanwhile, the Lions fell to 4-2 and will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday, October 20.
