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eric woodyard
Allen Park, Michigan – Inside Players detroit lions Locker room outraged over an NFL Films video that was released and then removed on social media related to suspending security brian branchClaiming that it was overly critical.
Lions All-Pro receiver Amon-Ra Saint Brown We were stunned to see content about Branch posted Thursday as part of NFL Films’ “Turning Point” online series. The one-minute video was narrated by ESPN’s Lewis Riddick and portrayed Branch in a negative light with a montage of the Chiefs’ 30–17 win over the Lions on Sunday.
“I thought that video was crazy. I don’t know why it was released, what the logic behind it was,” St. Brown said. “When I was watching, I remember it came up and I said, ‘I don’t know if it was like a trick or a joke.’ I clicked on NFL, and I didn’t know it was actually them. And it was. So I don’t know the reason why they posted it or what they got from it.
“But Brian Branch is an amazing guy. In the building, he’s one of the nicest guys. He’s calm; you never see him get really angry. He’s always smiling. He made a mistake and he knows it and he’s apologized, and I don’t know why it’s still being pulled, but I don’t think that video was right.”
The NFL suspended Branch for one game without pay on Monday for unsportsmanlike conduct after he was hit kansas city chiefs wide receiver juju smith-schuster and initiated a brief fight at the game’s conclusion.
Branch’s one-game suspension was upheld on appeal Wednesday.
lions defensive lineman dj reader It also said that the video “looks weird.”
“If you’re saying you don’t want to glorify anything, you don’t want this or this, that and the third in the game, then why release this new video about it and it’s described and you’re literally exposing the plays over and over again,” Reeder said. “So, you’re shedding more light on it than the internet is shedding on something that’s passed. If you’re trying to move on, move on. It doesn’t seem like that’s all you were shedding light on.”
Readers were also surprised by the video’s description and Riddick’s choice of words, prompting a reaction online.
“Those things give you more clarity in my mind to see how people really think and how they really feel about you,” Reeder said. “As a player, how can you trust [NFL] Now the shield? If you all want to release it and that’s how you’re shedding light on it. You’ve got to play for your organization, you trust them and the people you work with, but as far as the shield goes, the guys in New York? I can’t trust them.
“I can’t believe they’ll actually help me or that they care about my safety or well-being. People who care about you don’t do that.”
Riddick Issued a statement on social media Friday said that “Turning Point” was intended to document the good or bad events of a sport and never intentionally attempted to portray Branch in a negative light.
“That being said, I can see that the short clip that was posted could be taken as an attempt to paint the #Lions or Brian Branch in a deliberate, unfavorable manner,” the statement said. “I don’t want to be a part of this. I will make sure that whatever my name is associated with, there is never scope for it to be interpreted that way in the future.”
The NFL also released a statement Friday about the clip and why it was removed.
“We want all of our shows to have a distinct voice and point of view,” the statement said. “In the case of Turning Point, that voice and perspective is that of Louis Riddick. He spends time with the show’s producers every week, watching each segment and going over the script before narrating.
“That particular sequence as part of a nine-minute breakdown of the Lions-Chiefs game felt different to us than a standalone piece on social media. On X, it felt overly important to Brian, so we removed it.”
