Detroit, MI

Lions safety Brian Branch’s suspension upheld on appeal, will miss Buccaneers game

Published

6 months ago

October 15, 2025

Lions safety Brian Branch’s suspension upheld on appeal, will miss Buccaneers game

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.

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Detroit, MI

Troopers arrest Detroit woman after drive-by shooting on I-94

Published

11 hours ago

April 18, 2026

Press Room

Troopers arrest Detroit woman after drive-by shooting on I-94

A Detroit woman was arrested in the aftermath of a hit-and-run collision and shooting on Interstate 94, Michigan State Police reported.

Emergency dispatchers were called shortly after midnight Saturday about the altercation. Troopers reported the caller said while they were driving eastbound on I-94, near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, a black Jeep sideswiped them and sped off.

The caller then decided to follow the Jeep.

In response, police said, the driver of the Jeep fired several gunshots in the caller’s direction.

None of the gunshots struck the vehicle.

Troopers were able to use license plate reader camera technology to locate the Jeep while it was on the Lodge Freeway, made a traffic stop. The driver and two passengers were taken into custody without incident.

The passengers were released shortly afterwards; troopers believe that the 19-year-old driver was the shooter. She has been lodged pending further review by the prosecutor’s office.

In addition, a firearm was recovered from the vehicle.

The above video originally aired on Aug. 19, 2025.

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Detroit, MI

Orlando Magic vs Detroit Pistons odds for NBA playoffs Game 1 Sunday

Published

23 hours ago

April 18, 2026

Press Room

Orlando Magic vs Detroit Pistons odds for NBA playoffs Game 1 Sunday

Who is favored in the NBA playoffs odds for Game 1 between the Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic?

Here’s what you need to know about NBA playoff betting odds for the NBA game between the No. 8 seed Magic and No. 1 seed Pistons, which is being played on Sunday, April 19, 2026.

What is the point spread for the Pistons vs Magic game?

What is the moneyline for the Magic vs Pistons game?

What is the over/under (point total) for betting on the first-round NBA playoff matchup?

Watch Magic at Pistons on Peacock

Magic vs Pistons odds: What is point spread?

According to BetMGM Sportsbook, the Detroit Pistons are an 8.5-point favorite over the Orlando Magic in Game 1 of their NBA Playoffs series.

Pistons vs Magic odds: What is moneyline?

BetMGM Sportsbook lists Detroit as -375 on the moneyline for the first-round NBA playoff game. It has Orlando at +290.

Magic vs Pistons odds: What is over/under?

The point total for the opening game of the NBA playoffs series between the Pistons and Magic is listed at 218.5 points, per BetMGM Sportsbook.

Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today. Sign up for azcentral Preps Now. And be sure to subscribe to our daily sports newsletters so you don’t miss a thing.

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Detroit, MI

Detroit Tigers call up prospect Hao-Yu Lee, place Zach McKinstry on IL

Published

1 day ago

April 17, 2026

Press Room

Detroit Tigers call up prospect Hao-Yu Lee, place Zach McKinstry on IL

Boston — Not a bad place for big-league debut.

The Tigers on Friday placed Zach McKinstry on the 10-day injured list and called up infield prospect Hao-Yu Lee from Triple-A Toledo. He was in the lineup against the Red Sox, batting eighth at Fenway Park.

“We’re excited for Lee to get his feet wet in the big leagues,” manager AJ Hinch said. “He’s a good player. We’ve had him in big league camp the last two years. He hits the ball hard and can play good defense. Now he’s getting his first look at one of the cathedrals in our sport for his debut.”

Part of the decision to call up Lee, and not Jace Jung or Trei Cruz, Hinch said, was where the Tigers are in the schedule. Including Friday against Ranger Suarez, the Tigers will be facing six lefties in the next 12 games.

The right-handed hitting Lee slugged .558 with a .969 OPS against lefties last season.

Coming off an oblique injury this spring, which kept him from playing for Chinese Taipei in the WBC, he’s off to a slow start at Toledo (4 for 26).

“He’s been swinging it better than his numbers indicate,” Hinch said. “Results are so finicky this time of year. He’s coming off a good day (Wednesday). He hit a home run. So it’s good timing for that. He’s been hitting it hard and making good decisions on what to swing at.

“And that is key in transitioning from Triple-A to the big leagues.”

McKinstry exited Wednesday night’s game against the Royals ahead of the eighth inning of the Tigers’ 2-1 victory. He fell hard on the hip twice. Once on a head-first slide at the plate and the other after he was tripped up by Royals’ Jac Caglianone.

“He’s pretty beat up,” Hinch said. “We didn’t want to play short-handed but we’re also hoping to get him back quickly.”

McKinstry stayed back in Detroit and is expected to undergo further evaluations.

“He was doing better today than he was yesterday,” Hinch said. “But he clearly needed a break to heal up.”

Lee, 23, was not made available to the media until after the game. He is No. 6 among the Tigers’ top 30 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline, and was acquired by the Tigers in an August 2023 trade that sent starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Around the horn

Justin Verlander (hip inflammation) did not make the trip to Boston. “We have to respect the soreness and inflammation that he’s dealing with,” Hinch said. “He’s working out and he’s doing everything. It’s just going a little bit slower. We’re going to respect it and give him the time he needs.”

… Lefty reliever Bailey Horn (elbow), who has had his throwing program paused, received a cortisone shot Thursday.

Chris.McCosky@detroitnews.com

@cmccosky

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