NFL Films removes video detailing Brian Branch’s struggles before Lions-Chiefs brawl

An NFL Films video that some said was unfairly critical of Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch’s performance against the Kansas City Chiefs has since been removed.

The video was released Thursday as part of NFL Films’ “Turning Point” series, which provides weekly analysis of a pivotal moment from two of the league’s biggest games. The Lions’ 30-17 loss to the Chiefs was discussed 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 was burned by (Travis) Kelce’s basketball move. He was introduced by (Patrick) Mahomes. He was sworn by Xavier Worthy and took a shot from JuJu Smith-Schuster. The turnaround led to Branch’s boiling point.”

Shortly after publication, the NFL responded to Athleticsrequest 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 that of Louis Riddick. He spends time each week with the show’s producers watching each segment and going over the script before narrating them. This particular sequence was different for NFL Films as part of a 9-minute analysis of the game Lions-Chiefs as a standalone extract on social media. On X, this seemed too critical of Brian Branch, so it was removed.

Riddick, a college football and NFL analyst for ESPN and a former NFL player and scout who has interviewed in recent years for general manager positions, also responded later Friday on X. (ESPN reached a deal this summer to acquire NFL Media.)

“The Detroit Lions organization is one that I have nothing but respect for. Ownership, head coach, general manager and players,” Riddick wrote. “Fast forward to this week, the ‘Turning Point’ episode I recently voiced covering the Chiefs/Lions game did not go as it should have. The intention is to collaboratively, as a group, document the events of (the) game. The good and the bad. There is NEVER an intention to do a “hit piece” about anyone or any team. That being said, I can see how the short clip that was released could be seen as an attempt to spread the Lions or Brian Branch in a calculated and unfavorable manner. I don’t want to be part of this. I will ensure that anything bearing my name can never be interpreted this way in the future.

That boiling point during Sunday night’s game involved Branch slapping Smith-Schuster’s helmeted head on the field at Arrowhead Stadium after the game. Smith-Schuster, who later had a bloody nose, fell to the ground, then chased after Branch. Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco was seen trying to hold Branch back as the fight escalated, with several other players joining in.

“I’m tired of people doing stuff between a play and the refs not understanding it,” Branch said in the Lions locker room afterward, an interview that was shown in the NFL Films video. “They’re trying to intimidate me 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 able to rejoin the active team on Tuesday.

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

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

Lions defensive tackle DJ Reader — like many of the team’s fans — was bothered by the tone of the video, which he expressed Thursday on X. He followed up on those thoughts Friday when he spoke to reporters.

“I think as a player, how can you trust the shield now?” Reader said. “If you wanted to put this out there, and this is how you shed light on this – you have to play for your organization, you trust them, the people that you work with – but as far as the Shield, the people there in New York? I can’t trust them. I can’t believe that they’re actually going to support me or that they care about my safety or my well-being. People who care about you don’t do that.”

“You come back glorifying and you tell a story, it’s kind of crazy,” Reader added. “And, like, I don’t know if you could ask the players to trust you if that’s what you’re going to do, you know what I’m saying? … Nobody’s going to trust you if that’s how they think it’s going to be handled with anything. And I couldn’t see myself being a former player and reading that narration and thinking it was cool to present it that way.”