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Brian Branch couldn’t bring himself to watch his Detroit Lions play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers while he served his one-game suspension for hitting Kansas City Chiefs receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.
“Watching them, I guess, just would make me … miss being out there,” Branch told reporters Tuesday. “And I just, that’s something that’s hard that I didn’t want to (do).”
Branch was reinstated by the NFL during the Lions‘ bye last week, and will return to the field Sunday when the Lions host the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field.
He apologized Tuesday for the incident that led to his suspension; he previously said he struck Smith-Schuster in retaliation for a blindside block the receiver hit him with late in the game.
“That’s something I don’t condone. And it’ll never happen again,” Branch said.
And he said he has taken steps to better control his emotions while vowing to still play with “relentless effort and aggression” on the field.
Branch said he’s sought counseling from the person he takes his dog to for boarding, Flem Robert Peacher VI – who he called “Mr. Preacher” – and plans to get baptized Wednesday.
Asked if the suspension prompted him to get baptized, Branch said, “No, that’s something I’ve been wanting to do, but it’s perfect timing any way.”
“Honestly, I feel like I got – just turn over a newer leaf,” he said. “I feel like I needed to be saved by God, just going through a time like that. And just, yeah, it’s a newer leaf.”
One of the NFL’s best safeties and the Lions’ most versatile defensive player, Branch said the suspension “definitely add(ed) another chip to my shoulder,” though he acknowledged he must play smarter on the field.
Along with his suspension, Branch has been fined 10 times for unsportsmanlike conduct or play since the start of last season. He said coaches have warned him opponents will “pick at me during the play (to try to) get me out of my shell and to retaliate.”
Lions safeties coach Jim O’Neil said he expects to have “an even more motivated Brian Branch” back in the starting lineup this week.
“I’m really excited to see how he takes the field on Sunday when he comes out of the tunnel,” O’Neil said. “It’s great to have him back. He’s one of my all-time favorite people, all-time favorite players that I’ve ever coached. I love his competitive spirit so I’m excited to get him back out there.”
Asked what a more motivated Branch looks like, O’Neil said, “It’s scary.” Branch leads the Lions with five pass breakups and has 33 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble in six games.
“He’s clearly one of the best players at his position in the league,” O’Neil said. “He’s just so much fun to coach just because of how coachable he is and constantly wanting to get better, does a great job watching film, does a great job coming to the meeting room with ideas or asking questions. Does a great job with his teammates, does a great job asking me about my family, stuff like that. So it’s good to have him back.”
Lions players welcomed Branch back to practice this week, too.
Branch was first up in position drills at practice Tuesday, and safety Erick Hallett, who started in Branch’s place and played well against the Bucs, said the defensive back room was excited to return one of its leaders.
“Y’all know what he can do on the field, so that’s the ultimate chess piece,” Hallett said. “That’s your queen on the chessboard, so getting him back just changes the whole dynamic of not only the defense but the team.”
Branch said he was overwhelmed by the support of teammates, who wore his No. 32 jersey to the Buccaneers game – O’Neil said he and the team’s other defensive back coaches also wore Branch’s jersey to the game.
And with the 5-2 Lions in the playoff chase, he promised he won’t run afoul of the NFL with his actions again.
“I shot our team in the foot with what I did and for them to have my back, I love them for that,” Branch said. “And like I said, I’d go to war for them any day of the week. And yeah, that’s going to be like that until it’s all over.”
Dave Birkett is the author of the book, “Detroit Lions: An Illustrated Timeline.” Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.