NFL suspends former Alabama Crimson Tide star without pay for throwing a temper tantrum on ‘Sunday Night Football’
Branch’s history in the NFL may have finally caught up to him.
Brian Branch was one of the most fiery competitors to come through the Capstone. That’s a bold statement, given the program’s pedigree; there was always an edge to Branch during his time with the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Well, that edge has carried over to his time with the Detroit Lions. It’s why the Lions, a team built on physicality and toughness, were so excited about integrating Branch into their culture, and it’s why Branch has looked like an absolute steal after falling to the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Well, it seems like that edge may have finally caught up to him.
Brian Branch suspended one game without pay for fighting
The move to suspend Branch may seem harsh on first glance, but the context is important. For one, the act was low. After getting handled by the Chiefs, Branch refused to shake the hand of Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes. Chiefs WR Juju Smith-Schuster then confronted him for doing so, and Branch responded by hitting Smith-Schuster in the helmet before the two went into a full-blown brawl.
Branch would go on to apologize after the game, citing a block in the back as the catalyst behind his frustrations, and his head coach, Dan Campbell, came out and vehemently disapproved of what Branch did.
But that wasn’t enough for the NFL, and that part is on Branch. He has only been in the league two years and some change, yet he has accumulated just shy of $130,000 in total fines, spanning three seasons and 13 separate violations.
Add on the unsportsmanlike beginning to the tantrum, the brawl at the end, and you can see why the NFL came down so hard on Branch’s flaring temper. It’s odd to see a player who was held in high regard by Nick Saban and Alabama have so many disciplinary issues, but perhaps this will be his wake-up call.
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