Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin said JuJu Smith-Schuster deserved to get punched by Brian Branch.
During an appearance on the “Club 520” podcast this week, Franklin stuck up for Branch, who was suspended one game for socking Smith-Schuster after the Lions’ loss to the Chiefs on Sunday.
“JuJu needed his ass whooped,” Franklin said. “Let’s just go there … He’s been needing his ass whooped for a minute. Brian Branch is doing the work of the Lord.”
Branch went at Smith-Schuster, and after the Chiefs’ pass-catcher put his hand out, the former hit him in the helmet.
A larger scrum broke out after Smith-Schuster charged at Branch after Kansas City running back Isiah Pacheco attempted to push the Lions’ defensive back away.
After the game, Branch described his actions as “childish” and admitted that he “shouldn’t have did it,” telling reporters that he took exception to what he thought was an illegal block in the back from Smith-Schuster.
Franklin thought otherwise.
“[Smith-Schuster’s] an a–hole, bro,” Franklin said. “This is my thing, I’m gonna talk greasy to you. We gonna go right up. And when we get that one-on-one, I ain’t gonna duck the smoke. So if I win or lose, it is what it is. He’s the type that’s gonna do all the little weird, sneaky stuff, push you behind the back, go run to the ref … then try to be cool with you after.”
Detroit head coach Dan Campbell wasn’t so enthusiastic about the incident.
“I love Brian Branch, but what he did is inexcusable and it’s not going to be accepted here,” Campbell said after the game. “It’s not what we do. It’s not what we’re about and I apologize to coach [Andy] Reid and the Chiefs and [Smith-Schuster]. That’s not OK. That’s not what we do here and it’s not going to be OK.
“He knows it, our team knows it and so, that’s not what we do.”
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
