Members of the Detroit Lions locker room expressed anger over an NFL Films video that was briefly posted and then deleted from social media, which they said unfairly targeted suspended safety Brian Branch.
The clip, part of NFL Films’ Turning Point series released Thursday, featured narration by ESPN analyst Louis Riddick and highlighted Branch’s low moments from the Lions’ 30-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The tone of the one-minute video struck several Lions players as unnecessarily harsh.
“All I could think was, why would they release that?” said All-Pro receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. “When I first saw it, I thought it was a joke or something fake. But it was actually from the NFL. Brian’s a great guy — quiet, respectful, always smiling. He made a mistake, owned up to it, and apologized. I don’t get why they’d keep dragging him for it. That video wasn’t right.”
Branch was suspended for one game without pay on Monday for unsportsmanlike conduct after hitting Chiefs receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, which led to a brief scuffle at the end of the game. His suspension was upheld on appeal Wednesday.
Defensive lineman DJ Reader also criticized the video, calling it “strange” and contradictory. “If you say you don’t want to glorify that kind of stuff, then why make a whole video about it and keep showing it?” Reader said. “It just puts more attention on something that’s already over. If you’re trying to move on, then move on.”
Reader added that the narration and tone made players question the NFL’s motives. “It makes you wonder how they really see us,” he said. “How can you trust the league when they put out stuff like that? People who care about players wouldn’t do that.”
Louis Riddick responded Friday, saying the intent of Turning Point was simply to document events from games — good or bad — and not to attack Branch. “I can see how the short clip might have come across as critical of Brian or the Lions,” Riddick said in a statement. “That was never my intention, and I’ll make sure anything with my name on it doesn’t leave room for that kind of misinterpretation again.”
The NFL also issued a statement Friday, explaining that while the segment fit within the full nine-minute game analysis, it seemed “overly critical” when posted alone on social media. “That’s why we decided to take it down,” the league said.
