The Kansas City Chiefs took down the Detroit Lions 30-17 in Sunday night’s primetime matchup. The scoreboard told one story, but the real headline came after the clock hit zero.
Post-game handshakes turned into a full-blown scrum with players from both sides rushing in. Lions safety Brian Branch and Chiefs receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster stood at the center of the chaos, and what went down has the NFL world choosing sides.
Brian Branch Ignores Patrick Mahomes Handshake Then Slaps JuJu Smith-Schuster’s Facemask
The scene unfolded like a bad dream for Detroit. Patrick Mahomes walked over to Brian Branch for the standard post-game respect moment. Branch walked right past him. There was no handshake, no acknowledgment, nothing.
JuJu Smith-Schuster saw it happen. He stepped in close to Branch. Words got exchanged. Then Branch delivered an open-hand smack straight to JuJu’s facemask. The Chiefs receiver hit the turf hard.
Mahomes tries to dap up Brian Branch.
Branch ignores him 👀 JuJu steps in and gets SMACKED 😳💥#Chiefs #Lions #Mahomes #JuJu #BrianBranch #NFL #Football #SportsTwitter #NFLDrama #ViralClip pic.twitter.com/9AINHPLS8s— Aggregate Sports (@AggregateSports) October 13, 2025
That’s when everything went sideways. Teammates sprinted in from both sidelines. Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco jumped into the mix trying to separate bodies.
Pushing turned to shoving. Refs and coaching staff hurriedly ran to the spot to pull players apart before things escalated further.
Branch’s decision to blow past Mahomes already raised eyebrows. The slap that dropped JuJu crossed the line completely.
View this post on Instagram
Lions head coach Dan Campbell didn’t waste time addressing it after the game, calling the move inexcusable while still standing by his player.
The league will likely hit Branch with a fine. Suspension talk isn’t off the table either, depending on how the NFL reviews the footage.
NFL Fans Destroy Brian Branch After Cheap Shot on JuJu Smith-Schuster
Social media turned into a warzone the moment replays hit timelines. The reactions came in hot, and most fans didn’t hold back their disgust with Branch’s actions.
One fan wrote, “Branch is just a dumb thug.”
Another added, “Classless…Branch should be suspended.”
A third chimed in, “It’s time for Lions to dump their garbage.”
The pile-on continued with fans breaking down the wider context. A fourth noted, “JuJu was just celebrating the win, watch the wider angle video. Branch is just a sore loser.”
The criticism centers on two key points. First, Branch disrespected Mahomes, one of the game’s biggest stars, in front of a national audience. Second, he escalated the situation with a cheap shot that could have injured JuJu.
Tensions run high after tough losses, especially for a Lions team that entered with playoff hopes. But most fans see no excuse for what went down.
Branch faces consequences from multiple angles. The fine is coming. Campbell’s public comments suggest internal conversations are happening. And the court of public opinion has already delivered its verdict.
Whether this becomes a teachable moment or a pattern remains to be seen, but Sunday night’s incident just put Branch on the league’s radar in the worst possible way.
