The Detroit Lions’ secondary will get a boost in Week 9 of the 2025 NFL season. Safety Brian Branch served his one-game suspension after starring in a postgame fight following his team’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 6.
Branch slapped Chiefs’ wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster after the game, sparking a brawl that made the league suspend him. The Lions beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7 before heading to their bye week.
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Branch is ready to roll again and has extra motivation to face the Minnesota Vikings. Lions safeties coach Jim O’Neil celebrated having the player back, adding that the motivation he carries will make Branch a threat to the rest of the league.
“I think you’ll get an even more motivated Brian Branch,” O’Neil said Tuesday, via the team’s official website. “So, I’m really excited to see how he takes the field on Sunday. It’s great to have him back. He’s one of my all-time favorite people and all-time favorite players I ever coached. I love his competitive spirit. I’m excited to get him back out there.
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“It’s scary. Scary because he’s clearly one of the best players at his position in the league.”
The Lions will return to action against a divisional rival who comes off being dominated by Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 8. The Vikings (3-4) are trying to find their identity after a terrific 2024 season.
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However, injuries to J.J. McCarthy and Carson Wentz have derailed their evolution. Detroit has struggled to find consistency this season, as well, but it is in a better position than Minnesota.
Branch made it clear that he felt bad for his actions against Smith-Schuster, but insisted that the suspension gave him extra motivation.
“A lot of motivation,” Branch said, via the team’s official website. “It’s another chip on my shoulder they just added. I do want to apologize for what I did, that’s something I don’t condone, and will never happen again, but (the suspension) definitely added another chip to my shoulder.”
The Lions have two other competitors in the NFC North, the Green Bay Packers and the up-and-coming Chicago Bears. Any help they can get now is very welcomed.
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