Lions players took exception to a controversial video released by NFL Films—and narrated by ESPN's Louis Riddick—in which Riddick seemed to be especially critical of Lions safety Brian Branch.
Branch, of course, took plenty of heat for his role in sparking a postgame skirmish with Kansas City after he struck Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, taking an exception to an apparent block in the back.
But the Lions felt the since-deleted NFL Films video took things a step too far, and spoke out on Friday. On Saturday, Lions coach Dan Campbell addressed his players' response to the video.
"We overcome adversity, and, listen, that’s their brother, man," Campbell said. "And if you’re gonna attack their brother, that’s what they’re gonna do. So, you know, we got a tight knit group, and I already mentioned this, man. BB’s a good dude. So he’s paying for what happened and he’ll be back, ready to go for Minnesota."
What did the Lions players have to say about the controversial Branch video?
"I thought that video was crazy," Lions captain and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown said Friday. "I don't know why it was released, the reasoning behind it. As I was watching, I remember it popped up and I was like, 'I don't know if it was like a trick or mockery.' I clicked the NFL, and I didn't know if it was actually them. And it was. So I don't know the reasoning why they posted it or what they got out of that.
"But Brian Branch is an awesome dude. In the building, he's one of the nicest dudes. He's quiet; you never see him really get mad. He's always smiling. He made a mistake and he knows it and he apologized, and I don't know why it's still getting dragged along but I don't think that video was right."
What did Louis Riddick say about Brian Branch in the NFL Films video?
Here is some of the commentary from Riddick in the since-deleted video.
"It was a long game for Lions safety Brian Branch," Riddick said. "He got burned by [Travis] Kelce's basketball move. Got showed up by Mahomes. Got juked by Xavier Worthy. And took a shot from JuJu Smith-Schuster…"
Lions defensive tackle D.J. Reader was surprised at what he was hearing from Riddick, who spent six seasons as a player in the NFL.
"The narration was just crazy to me," Reader said. "I couldn't see myself being a former player and saying the words that he said in a narration. Especially when he played the game. These guys get up there like they didn't play before and we didn't get to watch them play. Like, we watched all these guys who make these rules, who are on the committees…And we see what y'all did. Like, YouTube is a thing. We can see it.
"It's always interesting and funny to me. I think a lot of people do stuff for clicks now and it's just what the world has come to today. It is what it is."
Reader also felt that the NFL, which suspended Branch one game for his role in the postgame fracas, was being hypocritical by then spotlighting his performance.
Riddick posted an apology onto his account on X, formerly Twitter.
