3S.NFL Films ignites backlash with “exposé” video on Brian Branch – Lions say the NFL is trying to protect the Chiefs
Detroit, MI — After his suspension for an open-handed slap on JuJu Smith-Schuster in Week 6 against the Kansas City Chiefs, Brian Branch became the center of controversy. But instead of letting the issue cool down,NFL Films stirred it back up by posting an “exposé” video compiling Branch’s worst plays from the game, seemingly to undercut his explanation.
The video, posted Thursday afternoon, was labeled as a look at Branch’s “rough night that led up to his end-of-game actions.” The way the highlights were selected and arranged left many viewers feeling the NFL wasprotecting the Chiefs, fueling the long-standing belief that the league and its officials tend to favor them.
A one-game suspension for Branch is widely seen as appropriate for the postgame altercation. However, having an official outlet like NFL Films publish a “mistake reel” instead of issuing a clear, rule-based disciplinary explanation was viewed astone-deaf and as piling on a single player.
https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1978969127868838360&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Ffannews.feji.io%2Fblog%2Fnfl-films-ignites-backlash-with-expose-video-on-brian-branch-lions-say-the-nfl-is-trying-to-protect-the-chiefs-ch&sessionId=17080e053fa095be9bfe26a0f2eebaf456906c66&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px
Facing mounting criticism, NFL Films deleted the post. Even so, “the internet never forgets” — Lions fans and analysts had alreadyscreencapped and saved the content, pushing the story even further.
The Lions’ president struck a balanced note:
“We are not excusing Branch’s behavior, no matter his explanation. What we want is to understand what the NFL is trying to do with our player here.”He added that if Branch had simply served his suspension quietly, the matter likely would have faded away.
In the end, the NFL could have done nothing and let the episode pass. Instead, the post-and-delete “exposé” pulled attention back to the case and opened another front over theneutrality of official league communications in a disciplinary situation that was otherwise straightforward.
BREAKING: New England Patriots Star Threatens Retirement Over Jets Trade — “I’M NOT WEARING GREEN & WHITE”
The New England Patriots have set the NFL rumor mill ablaze after informing one of their veteran defensive backs he will be traded. Reports confirm his representatives are already exploring potential landing spots across the league.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport revealed that multiple teams are monitoring the situation closely as his playing time has dipped in a contract year. With New England regaining pieces in the secondary, the team views him as expendable.
