Detroit, MI
Lions safety Brian Branch’s suspension upheld on appeal, will miss Buccaneers game
Takeaways from Detroit Lions loss to Kansas City Chiefs
Detroit Lions lose to Chiefs: Dave Birkett and Shawn Windsor break down the Week 6 game in Kansas City.
Brian Branch’s one-game suspension for striking JuJu Smith-Schuster in the face has been upheld by appeals officer Jordy Nelson, the former Green Bay Packers wide receiver.
The NFL said today Branch will serve the suspension he was given for this week’s Monday night game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after he knocked Smith to the ground in the final seconds of the Detroit Lions’ 30-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Branch, who has been fined three other times this season for unsportsmanlike conduct or unnecessary roughness violations, hit Smith-Schuster in the side of the helmet as players from both teams began shaking hands after Patrick Mahomes’ final kneel-down snap.
He said the incident was retaliation for an illegal blindside block Smith-Schuster made on him late in the game. Smith-Schuster’s block was not penalized by officials.
[ Maybe we can all learn something from Brian Branch’s infraction to end Lions-Chiefs ]
Branch apologized for the incident and called his actions “childish” after the game, and Lions coach Dan Campbell said the incident was “inexcusable.”
In a letter to Branch announcing the punishment, NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan wrote Branch violated the league’s policy on unsportsmanlike conduct.
“Your aggressive, non-football act was entirely unwarranted, posed a serious risk of injury, and clearly violated the standards of conduct and sportsmanship expected of NFL players,” Runyon wrote. “Your conduct reflected poorly on the NFL and has no place in our game.”
Campbell said Tuesday he was approaching this week as if Branch would lose his appeal and not play against a Buccaneers team that has the best record in the NFL at 5-1 and an MVP candidate at quarterback in Baker Mayfield.
Branch’s absence comes at a tough time for a Lions secondary that will be shorthanded for the third straight week.
Starting cornerback D.J. Reed is on injured reserve and out till next month with a hamstring strain, fellow starting cornerback Terrion Arnold (shoulder) and backup safety Avonte Maddox (hamstring) are not expected to return until after the Lions’ Week 8 bye, and safety Kerby Joseph has been playing through a knee injury he suffered in a Week 4 win over the Cleveland Browns.
Campbell said the team will decide on Joseph’s availability later this week and could give him two weeks off like it did Taylor Decker with his injured shoulder. The Lions have a bye next week.
“We saw the game the other day,” Campbell said. “He tried to gut through it, played most of the game. Look, it wasn’t his best performance, but he’d tell you that, too. He was giving us what he had, and so we’ll have to reassess.”
A second-round pick out of Alabama in 2023, Branch has been one of the Lions’ most valuable defensive players since he entered the league while also struggling with on-field discipline.
Branch has been fined 10 times since the start of the 2024 season and was fined last year for striking Arizona Cardinals tight end Tip Reiman in the face, similar to how he hit Smith-Schuster, after a field goal. This year, he’s lost more than $111,000 in wages, including the $76,625 he will be docked for Sunday’s game.
He will be eligible to return to the Lions’ active roster on Tuesday, Oct. 21
“Look, this is one instance of something that happened,” Campbell said. “It doesn’t matter what led to it, that’s no different than you’re driving down the road and something happens on the highway, you can’t take out your aggression on somebody else. Can’t cross that line. Our players know that. Brian knows it. He’s fine. He’ll learn from this and be better. Listen, he’s an outstanding young man, he really is and he’s got a big heart and he made a mistake and he’ll learn from it.”
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
Longtime Detroit sports radio host and columnist Pat Caputo has been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, he announced Monday.
Caputo, a host on Detroit’s 97.1 The Ticket, last published a column on Nov. 7. On Monday, he explained the reason behind his absence.
“For those wondering where I’ve been: I have been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer, commonly referred to as a “death sentence” and had two other serious ailments which put me in ICU for several days,” Caputo wrote in a post to X. “It was sudden. I’ve literally been on my back for weeks. Bless you all.”
Caputo, 66, became a well-known personality in Detroit sports media during his time as an award-winning columnist for The Oakland Press from 1983-2020, according to the Detroit Free Press. He also was previously part of WXYT’s “Evening Sports” broadcast, and is an official voter for the Baseball Hall of Fame and college football’s Heisman Trophy award, according to his X bio.
Caputo is nicknamed “The Book” for his impressive memory retaining sports stats and information, according to FOX 2 in Detroit, where he has been a regular guest on its “Sports Works” broadcast.
Caputo’s social media announcement regarding his health drew support from fellow sports media professionals, including Brad Galli, sports director at WXYZ Detroit, and ESPN’s Dan Wetzel and Dave Pasch.
“Pat, we’re praying for [you],” Galli wrote. “Awful awful awful to read this, man. God bless you.”
“Legend. Stay strong my friend. So much support out here for you,” Wetzel posted.
“Book, praying for you my friend. So sorry to hear this,” Pasch wrote.
DETROIT (WXYZ) — Desmond Burks’ murder trial starts this week. On Monday, he attended his pre-trial hearing. Burks faces first-degree murder, felony murder and larceny charges in the death of Dr. Devon Hoover.
The prominent Detroit neurosurgeon was found dead in his attic in April 2023 after Detroit police performed a wellness check. Investigators said he had been shot twice in the head and his body was wrapped in a blood-soaked carpet.
Watch Darren Cunningham’s video report below:
Trial set to begin in Dr. Devon Hoover murder case
At the pre-trial, Judge Paul Cusick set the tone for how he expects the trial to go. It could last several weeks, according to court administration.
“Obviously, there’s always been respect shown to this court by the defendant and attorneys in this case, and all of the witnesses need to show the respect that is going to be required. There will be no outburst from any witnesses or anyone else during the proceedings,” the judge said.
Cusick discussed scheduling for the trial, starting with jury selection Wednesday and outlined restrictions for news media.
“Media is prohibited from showing and/or publishing the faces of any civilian witnesses not employed by the government,” he read.
WXYZ
Those same restrictions were in place during the preliminary hearing.
At the prelim, a number of people testified that they were former lovers of Desmond Burks.
Those men and women described Burks as a hustler and said he would send them money from an unknown Cash App and then have them send the money back to his Cash App.
Watch our coverage of the third day of the preliminary hearing below:
Day 3 concludes in Desmond Burks’ preliminary hearing in murder of Dr. Devon Hoover
Burks is accused of stealing more than $30,000 from Hoover via credit card and fraudulent bank transactions, and Burks allegedly used other people to execute his plan.
Investigators said text messages revealed Burks had an intimate relationship with Hoover and was sometimes paid for sexual services.
Watch our coverage of the second day of the preliminary hearing below:
Mystery backpack focus of testimony during day 2 of Hoover preliminary hearing
Testimony from the prelim also revealed that authorities zeroed in on Burks, in part, through cellphone records and surveillance footage involving Hoover’s stolen truck.
During the trial, we may hear from a close relative of Burks who identified him in surveillance footage during the prelim. The footage allegedly shows Burks walking away from Hoover’s stolen vehicle.
Watch our coverage of the first day of the preliminary hearing below:
Preliminary hearing begins for man charged with killing Dr. Devon Hoover
The jury selection process is scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.
A situation believed to involve a barricaded suspect in Ypsilanti has resulted in evacuations for some neighbors and shelter-in-place orders for others as authorities attempt to bring an end to the standoff.
Police were seen inside the home Monday morning, but the suspect involved has not left the building.
Neighbors told CBS Detroit the circumstances began with a wellness check around noon Sunday. Since then, multiple law enforcement vehicles, including a SWAT team, have been in the area.
The street is closed to traffic in the meantime.
CBS News Detroit has a crew on scene. Additional details will be provided on air and online when they are available.
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