Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne has officially been suspended for the NFL’s first-ever regular season game in Spain, after the league upheld his appeal decision.

The Commanders are set to play the Miami Dolphins in Week 11 at Madrid’s Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, but Payne will be forced to stay home after being ejected in last Sunday’s 44–22 loss to the Detroit Lions. The punishment stems from Payne’s punch on Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown during a heated exchange in the second quarter.

The altercation followed a touchdown by Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, which gave Detroit a commanding 22–3 advantage. St. Brown celebrated the score by mimicking a dance associated with Donald Trump, a nod to reports that the U.S. president was in attendance at Northwest Stadium. Moments later, Payne confronted St. Brown and struck him, resulting in an immediate ejection and subsequent disciplinary review.

The NFL’s ruling means Payne will not travel with his team to Spain and will forfeit his game check, costing him a portion of his $19.56 million salary for the 2025 season — roughly over $1 million.

With Payne sidelined, Washington is expected to rely more heavily on Javon Kinlaw, Jer’Zhan Newton, Eddie Goldman, and Sheldon Day along the defensive line. Despite the league’s final decision, some within the Commanders organization believe Payne’s actions were retaliatory, claiming St. Brown initiated the physical contact.

The Commanders’ discipline woes didn’t end there. In addition to Payne’s ejection, Kinlaw was flagged for making contact with an official while protesting the call, and safety Quan Martin drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty later in the game.

Afterward, Kinlaw defended his teammate, telling CBS Sports that Payne only reacted after being hit first:“The refs saw the first punch, and I don’t blame him for reacting. It’s an emotional game — things happen. But I’ve got to handle myself better next time.”

St. Brown later confirmed that tensions between him and Payne had been building:“Two plays before, we got into a bit of a scuffle,” he told reporters. “We exchanged some words after the touchdown, and then he swung on me. That’s football — it happens.”

Despite the controversy, both teams have indicated they’re ready to move on, though the Commanders will feel Payne’s absence in what would have been a historic international matchup.