NFL Films deletes video detailing Brian Branch’s struggles ahead of Lions-Chiefs brawl

An NFL Films video that some thought unfairly criticized Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch’s performance against the Kansas City Chiefs has since been deleted.

The video was posted Thursday as part of NFL Films’ “Turning Point” series, which provides analysis of a crucial moment in two of the league’s biggest games each week. The Lions’ 30-17 loss to the Chiefs was featured this week, and focused on Branch, particularly the moments of frustration that led to a postgame brawl he instigated.

“It was a long game for Lions safety Brian Branch, number 32,” narrator Louis Riddick said in the video. “He got burned by (Travis) Kelce’s basketball move. He got showed up by (Patrick) Mahomes. He got juked by Xavier Worthy and took a shot from JuJu Smith-Schuster. The turning point led to Branch’s boiling point.”

Shortly after publication, the NFL responded to The Athletic’s request for comment.

“NFL Films wants all of its shows to have a distinct voice and point of view. In the case of ‘NFL Turning Point,’ that voice and point of view is Louis Riddick’s. He spends time every week with the show’s producers watching each segment and going over the script before narrating them. That particular sequence felt different to NFL Films as part of a 9-minute breakdown of the Lions-Chiefs game than it did as a standalone excerpt on social media. On X, it felt overly critical to Brian Branch so it was taken down.”

That boiling point involved Branch slapping the helmeted head of Smith-Schuster on the field at Arrowhead Stadium after the game. Smith-Schuster, who was later bleeding from his nose, fell to the ground, then went after Branch. Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco was seen trying to hold Branch back while the brawl escalated, with several other players joining in.

“I’m tired of people doing stuff in between a play and refs don’t catch it,” Branch said in the Lions’ locker room afterward, an interview that was shown in the NFL Films video. “They’re trying to bully me out there.”

Branch, who lost an appeal earlier this week, was suspended for one game for unsportsmanlike conduct for his role in the brawl. He will miss the Lions’ home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on “Monday Night Football” on Oct. 20 and will be eligible to turn to the active roster on Tuesday.

The video also included Branch’s comments about the play that made him angry — a block in the back by Smith-Schuster in the game’s waning minutes.

“I got blocked in the back illegally. It was in front of the ref, the ref didn’t do anything,” Branch said. “I could have got hurt off of that, but I still shouldn’t have done that.”

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