Postgame Brawl Erupts After Lions’ Loss to Chiefs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A postgame brawl erupted Sunday night after the Detroit Lions lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, 30-17, snapping the Lions’ four-game winning streak. The incident unfolded moments after the game ended at Arrowhead Stadium.

While players were on the field shaking hands, Lions safety Brian Branch refused to reciprocate a handshake from Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. This led to a confrontation with Chiefs receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, during which Branch shoved Smith-Schuster, igniting a melee involving dozens of players from both teams.

“We play the game in between the whistles,” Mahomes told NBC after the game. “They can do all the extracurricular stuff they want to do, but we play the game in between the whistles.”

Branch’s actions, which included the confrontation with Smith-Schuster, could lead to potential disciplinary action from the league. The Lions are already missing key cornerbacks at a critical time in the season.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell expressed his disappointment in Branch’s actions. “I love Brian Branch but what he did was inexcusable. It’s not what we’re about,” he said during his postgame press conference.

Smith-Schuster was seen with a towel on his face as he left the field, but there were no visible injuries reported at that time. The friction between players highlighted the tense atmosphere, especially given the stakes of the matchup.

The game itself saw Mahomes excel, throwing for 257 yards and three touchdowns, while Jared Goff of the Lions completed 23 of 29 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns. The Chiefs improved their record to 3-3 with the win, while the Lions fell to 4-2.

With Branch’s future uncertain due to these events, the Lions face a challenging schedule ahead, especially with critical injuries in their defense.