KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - The NFL has upheld the one-game suspension levied against Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch after he punched wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster at the end of Sunday’s game.
Branch, whose suspension was announced Monday, appealed the decision and had a hearing appeal heard by former K-State wide receiver and Green Bay Packers legend Jordy Nelson, [according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.](https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/1978616815719760227)
Nelson upheld the one-game suspension.
“Your aggressive, non-football act was entirely unwarranted, posed a serious risk of injury, and clearly violated the standards of conduct and sportsmanship expected of NFL players,” said Jon Runyan, NFL’s VP of Football Operations, on Monday. “Your conduct reflected poorly on the NFL and has no place in our game.”
Branch, who had been fined numerous times in his career for his actions, will now miss a Week 7 ‘Monday Night Football’ game against the NFC-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The suspension was the result of his punch of Smith-Schuster. Branch told reporters he shouldn’t have done it but said he felt like he was getting “bullied” out on the field during the Lions’ 30-17 loss to the Chiefs Sunday night.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell was critical of Branch postgame.
“Let me start with this, I love Brian Branch, but what he did is inexcusable and it’s not gonna be accepted here,” Campbell said. “It’s not what we do here, it’s not going to be OK. He knows it. the team knows it, so that’s not what we do.”
It remains to be seen if Smith-Schuster or Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco will receive fines for their roles in the postgame incident.
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