Dan Campbell told reporters he issued apologies to Andy Reid and JuJu Smith-Schuster after Brian Branch’s hit on the wide receiver triggered a heated postgame brawl.

With the clock winding down and the result already decided, the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions gathered to shake hands after a tough contest. As players exchanged pleasantries, Branch brushed past Kareem Hunt and Patrick Mahomes — both extending their hands — and instead punched Smith-Schuster.

The two players wrestled on the turf as teammates rushed in to break up the altercation. Notably, Taylor Swift and Caitlin Clark were both in attendance, witnessing the chaos unfold as the two celebrities watched Kansas City notch its third win of the campaign.

Following the game, Campbell explained that he personally reached out to the Chiefs to apologize for Branch’s unnecessary actions. “Let me begin with this: I love Brian Branch, but what he did was unacceptable. And that’s not something we tolerate,” Campbell began.

“That’s not who we are. That’s not our culture. I went over and apologized to Coach Reid, the Chiefs, and to JuJu as well. That’s not acceptable. That’s not how we represent ourselves, and it won’t be condoned. He knows that. The team knows that. That’s just not what we do.”

Reid also addressed the matter but took a calmer tone. “You all saw what happened,” the Chiefs coach said to reporters following the win. “The guy came over and hit JuJu.

“For a moment, it seemed totally unprovoked. We were taking a knee, so yeah, that’s hard to watch. He did some real damage to JuJu’s nose.” Patrick Mahomes added his perspective while speaking to NBC Sports afterward.

“We play our game between the whistles,” Mahomes said when asked about the incident. “They can do whatever they want outside the play, but we stay focused between the whistles. We thought we executed really well today, and we’ll carry that momentum forward.”

Discussing the tone of the matchup, Mahomes reflected on the physical nature of both teams and how it unfolded during the contest.

“I mean, it’s football,” he said after Kansas City’s strong win over Detroit that pushed them to 3-3 on the year.

“It’s physical and competitive. They’re a tough group, and they come ready to battle, but we’ll always match that energy. That’s the mindset Coach Reid instills in us every day — we’ll meet whatever intensity the opponent brings.”

The Chiefs now prepare to face the Las Vegas Raiders next week, while the Lions will look to rebound against the surging Tampa Bay Buccaneers.