Brian Branch won’t take the field for the Detroit Lions this Monday night when they face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on “Monday Night Football.” The NFL suspended the safety for one game without pay due to unsportsmanlike conduct after he struck Kansas City Chiefs receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster at the end of Sunday’s tense matchup at Arrowhead Stadium.

The altercation led to a brief scuffle as both teams exited the field. Branch defended his actions afterward in the locker room, though the league viewed the matter differently.

Players are typically granted three days to file an appeal through the NFL Players Association, and Branch’s representatives did so.

However, their effort came up short.

“Lions safety Brian Branch’s one-game suspension has been upheld following appeal,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.

Detroit fans quickly expressed frustration online. One posted, “He still owns that [expletive] JuJu,” while another noted, “So Hollywood Brown throws a punch last week and gets nothing? Makes no sense.” The league’s inconsistency once again became a topic of debate across social media.

Some fans decided to laugh it off. One joked, “Branch: Can we talk about it? NFL: Nope, enjoy the couch Sunday.” Another added, “Bro tried to appeal when the hit was caught in 4K.

Branch’s anger was understandable in context. After the Lions’ 30-17 defeat to the Chiefs, he criticized Kansas City players for cheap shots that officials ignored. A video later surfaced showing Smith-Schuster blocking him illegally from behind, helping explain Branch’s reaction.

When Smith-Schuster hit him again, Branch snapped, landing a shot to the helmet, then immediately apologized and declined Patrick Mahomes’ postgame handshake as emotions boiled over.

Losing Branch is a major setback for the 4-2 Lions as they push through the season’s midpoint and continue their playoff pursuit with key defensive challenges ahead.