ALLEN PARK — Bad news for upcoming Detroit Lions opponents: Safety Brian Branch will try to keep his aggression between the lines upon his return from a one-game suspension, but his time away from the team has only put a bigger chip on his shoulder.
“Relentless effort and aggression,” Branch said Tuesday, his first time speaking with the media since he was suspended for sparking a postgame brawl with Kansas City Chiefs receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.
But that in no way indicates that he’s not sorry for the actions that led to his time away from the team. Branch reiterated his apologetic stance, which he also took after the 30-17 loss at Kansas City on Oct. 12, and said he needs to do a better job of controlling his emotions on the field.
Branch has been fined 13 times since entering the league in 2023. There have been multiple instances of Branch losing his cool in-game, including twice against the Green Bay Packers in as many years. He was ejected from a road game at Green Bay for hitting a defenseless receiver and then flipped double middle fingers at Lambeau Field in 2024.
Earlier this season, in Detroit’s opener, Branch was fined twice on the same play. He ripped off the helmet of Packers tight end Tucker Kraft, then tossed it toward the sideline as the play was ending.
“Just gotta be smarter in certain situations. Coach tells me all the time, they’re gonna pick at me on the play or just try to get me to get out of my shell to retaliate,” Branch said. “He said, ‘Still play with the fire, just learn how to not retaliate.’”
Branch also said that he plans to get baptized on Wednesday, and while he already planned to do so before missing last week’s game, the appointment was “perfect timing,” given the circumstances. Branch is looking forward to getting baptized by a man he called “Mr. Preacher,” who he and several other Lions players go through for boarding their dogs when out of town.
“Honestly, I feel like I got to just turn over a new leaf, you know?” Branch said of the baptism. “Feeling like I need to be saved by God, going through a time like that.”
In his absence, Branch had the full support of his teammates and coaching staff. Several members of Detroit’s secondary, plus at least three members of the Lions’ defensive coaching staff — including safeties coach Jim O’Neil and defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend — wore Branch jerseys to last week’s 24-9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Branch said the support “means a lot” because he felt like his actions “shot the team in the foot.”
“For them to have my back, I love them for that,” Branch said. “I’d go to war for them any day of the week.”
This Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, O’Neil said he expects to see “an even more motivated Brian Branch,” and added another character witness to the record.
“He’s one of my all-time favorite people, all-time favorite players that I’ve ever coached,” O’Neil said of Branch.
The Lions’ secondary balled out against Tampa Bay, but Branch didn’t see it live. He missed his guys too much, he said. But after flipping on the tape, he had some extra motivation for his return.
The Lions weren’t only missing Branch, but also All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph and starting cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed.
“Honestly, they played together, they played better than how we played all year,” Branch said.
“I was too eager to get back out there.”
As for the prospect of what an “even more motivated Brian Branch” might look like, O’Neil provided a guess.
“Scary because he’s clearly one of the best players at his position in the league,” O’Neil said.