The Detroit Lions are outraged after NFL Films released a one-minute video that appeared to mock safety Brian Branch, using heavily edited highlights and critical narration that unfairly portrayed him as the scapegoat for the team’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The backlash from fans and players was so intense that the NFL eventually deleted the clip and issued an official apology late Thursday night.
The controversial segment, narrated by ESPN analyst Louis Riddick, focused on Branch’s lowest moments from the game — including missed tackles and his postgame clash with JuJu Smith-Schuster, which led to a one-game suspension. Riddick’s narration included lines such as:
“It was a long night for Brian Branch — he got spun around by Travis Kelce’s basketball move, beaten by Patrick Mahomes, juked by Xavier Worthy, and took a hit from JuJu Smith-Schuster. The turning point led to Branch’s boiling point.”
The tone of the video immediately angered Detroit’s locker room.
Defensive tackle DJ Reader was among the first to respond, posting on X (formerly Twitter):
“This is weird. Shameful, really. Folks will sell their integrity for clicks — this isn’t how the NFL should treat its players.”
Reader’s comments went viral, drawing massive support from fans and fellow players. In response to the growing outrage, NFL Films quickly removed the video from all official platforms.
The situation escalated further when Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp publicly condemned the league’s leadership, accusing them of showing “moral decay” in their handling of the incident.
In a statement to The Detroit News, Ford Hamp said:
“The people running this league have lost their moral compass. If you’re that desperate for views, fix your officiating first — because fans are tired of watching your circus instead of real football.”
According to multiple sources, Ford Hamp personally contacted senior NFL executives, demanding accountability for those behind the video. The league later issued a private apology to the Lions, followed by a short public statement acknowledging that the clip “did not meet editorial standards and failed to reflect the values of the league.”
Branch, who is set to return from suspension ahead of Detroit’s clash with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has remained silent on the controversy. However, teammates described him as “focused, composed, and determined to respond on the field.”
The incident has reignited criticism over the NFL’s shift toward sensationalized media content at the expense of player integrity. As one Detroit columnist put it:
“The league may have apologized, but the damage is done — and earning back the trust of players like Brian Branch won’t be easy.”
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