Following the Washington Commanders’ loss to the Detroit Lions, defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw came to the defense of teammate Daron Payne, who was ejected in the second quarter for punching Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.

“I honestly felt like we were getting cheated out there,” Kinlaw said after the game. “Daron just reacted after what happened first. The refs saw the initial hit, and they didn’t do anything about it. I can’t really blame him—things get heated out there.”

Kinlaw was referring to an earlier altercation that didn’t appear on the FOX broadcast of the Lions–Commanders matchup. According to him, St. Brown had thrown the first punch before Payne retaliated. A few days later, Payne posted a video on his Instagram that appeared to support his version of events, which was later shared by a Washington reporter.

The clip shows Payne giving St. Brown a shove, which St. Brown answers with one of his own. The two players square up, and St. Brown swings at Payne’s helmet, making contact. Despite the skirmish happening in plain sight of several officials, no flag was thrown.

A few snaps later—after Detroit’s third touchdown—St. Brown walked past Payne and said something to him. In response, Payne punched St. Brown in the head and neck area, leading to his immediate ejection.

After the game, St. Brown acknowledged saying something to Payne but didn’t bring up the earlier incident. “We scored, and I said a little something—not even that bad—and then he decided to hit me,” St. Brown explained.

The league suspended Payne for one game, a penalty that was upheld after he appealed. As of now, it’s unclear whether St. Brown will face any discipline. While a fine is possible, a suspension appears unlikely since his swing happened during an active scuffle rather than as a separate, deliberate punch.