Once that final whistle blew, though, the contest between the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs erupted into absolute pandemonium. Players JuJu Smith-Schuster and Brian Branch found themselves at the center of a bruising melee. The incident arose from frustrations during the match, particularly surrounding a no-call involving an illegal block that left Branch visibly upset.
The fight escalated after Branch threw an open hand push to Smith-Schuster’s helmet, flooring Smith-Schuster immediately. This cowardly act placed a match in what would become a bonfire on the field as players from both teams stormed the field to join the fight. In the 3rd quarter scrum, Branch was able to knock Smith-Schuster’s helmet off, leading to more heightened tension on both sidelines.
Following the incident Branch didn’t want to shake hands with Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes. This act of defiance made it clear a soured Johnson was the effect after the game. Smith-Schuster, who was stuck with a bloody beak after the tussle, took an exception to Branch’s celebration on that touchdown, though. Both of these men were probably cursing at each other before the fight began.
It was clear that Campbell had a soft spot for the versatile Branch. He denounced what the player had done.
“It doesn’t matter if I agree or disagree,” – Dan Campbell
Campbell reiterated that kind of behavior would never be accepted on his team. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid responded to the incident as well, extending his apologies for the unfortunate fracas. To illustrate an account of Smith-Schuster’s injuries, he explained that the damage to his nose was extensive.
“The guy came up and hit JuJu for what looked like no reason,” – Andy Reid
The incident has brought issue to lack of sportsmanship and player behavior after highly charged plays in contest. Here’s to both teams as they prepare for their upcoming championship games. In particular, they will want to see how incidents like these shape player relationships and team culture going forward.