KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs figured they would be in for a fight against the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.
Turns out they were right, but that came after the game was over.
The Lions didn’t pack much punch in the Chiefs’ 30-17 win, but seconds after Patrick Mahomes took a knee to end the game, Lions safety Brian Branch punched Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster in the nose, sparking a brief fracas.
“It is what it is,” Mahomes said. “You just move on. We won the football game. I thought we did a great job and played well.”
Mahomes completed 22 of 30 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 32 yards and another score. After that touchdown, he flexed his muscles at Branch. When the game was over, many players on the two teams slapped hands and said the usual “good game, good game.”
But when Mahomes went to slap hands with Branch, Branch bypassed him, and Smith-Schuster took notice. A few words were said, and Branch connected with a right hand to Smith-Schuster’s face, sending him to the ground.
Smith-Schuster got back up and went after Branch, but the scrum was short-lived after that. Smith-Schuster, however, left the field with a bloody nose as a result from the hit to the face.
“The guy came up and hit JuJu for what looked like no reason,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “We were taking a knee. That’s tough. Put pretty good damage on JuJu’s nose.”
Branch likely will be fined or suspended. Smith-Schuster had three catches for 57 yards, while Hollywood Brown added four catches for 45 yards and two touchdowns and Travis Kelce had six catches for 78 yards. Isiah Pacheco added 12 carries for 51 yards.
The Chiefs moved the ball with ease all night despite playing without starting left tackle Josh Simmons, who missed the game due to personal reasons. The Chiefs also had no penalties or turnovers in their cleanest game of the year.
After starting 0-2, they are now 3-3. The Lions, meanwhile, saw their four-game winning streak come to an end in a game that wasn’t hotly contested until the end.
“You’re playing football,” Mahomes said. “You’re being chippy. That’s a physical football team and they have that mentality that they come into play with. And we’re going to match that mentality. We’re not afraid to go up against anybody.”
