Breaking news: The NFL has upheld fines against three Lions players ahead of their matchup with the Buccaneers, denying their appeal — even as a Chiefs player walks free from penalty over the Lions-related controversy.

Controversy has once again erupted around the NFL after the league released its official fines from last week’s fiery showdown between the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs — and once again, it’s Detroit bearing the full brunt of the punishment.

According to the Week 6 disciplinary report, three Lions players have been penalized, while no sanctions were handed to any Chiefs players despite their involvement in the heated postgame scuffle.

Safety Brian Branch received a one-game suspension following his confrontation with Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster — an exchange that went viral after cameras captured Branch striking JuJu moments after the final whistle. Meanwhile, linebacker Alex Anzalone was fined $12,172, and defensive lineman Tyler Lacy received a $5,722 fine for unnecessary roughness.

What has truly angered Lions fans is the NFL’s decision to let JuJu Smith-Schuster off without punishment, even though footage appeared to show him executing an illegal block from behind earlier in the game. The league, however, ruled that the hit did not constitute a violation.

Detroit’s appeal of the disciplinary actions was officially denied, confirming both Branch’s suspension and the fines for Anzalone and Lacy.

Social media quickly lit up with outrage. One furious fan wrote, “Branch gets suspended, Anzalone gets fined, but JuJu gets nothing? This league is a joke.”

Head coach Dan Campbell voiced his frustration in a typically fiery fashion, perfectly summing up Detroit’s mentality:

“You can fine us, suspend us, or twist the rules — it won’t break us. We’ve been fighting uphill since day one, and we’ll keep biting kneecaps all the way to the Super Bowl.”

While the NFL noted that the fine money will be directed to the Professional Athletes Foundation and the NFL Foundation, that did little to ease the fury among the Detroit faithful.

As the Lions gear up for their Monday Night Football clash with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the message from Campbell’s locker room is unmistakable — they may feel wronged, but they’re ready to respond on the field.

This team isn’t dwelling on punishments.
They’re sharpening their claws — and their focus — for payback.