The NFL’s weekly fine sheet didn’t spare the Detroit Lions this time, with three players hit in the wallet following their overtime win against the New York Giants. While that win gave the Lions a brief boost, their momentum stalled with a Thanksgiving Day loss to the Packers, dropping them to 7-5 and putting their grip on the NFC North in serious jeopardy.
Let’s start with safety Brian Branch, who continues to walk a fine line-literally. Branch was flagged in the first quarter for a hit on Giants wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, a shot deemed illegal due to Robinson being considered a defenseless player.
The result: a 15-yard penalty on the field and now a $23,186 fine from the league office. This marks Branch’s fifth fine of the season-and his second in as many weeks.
For a young player who brings plenty of edge to Detroit’s secondary, this latest hit adds to a growing pattern that’s sure to raise eyebrows in Allen Park and beyond. His aggressive style is part of what makes him effective, but the Lions will need him on the field, not in the league’s disciplinary crosshairs.
Branch wasn’t the only Lion to draw the NFL’s attention. Offensive lineman Dan Skipper was fined $6,917 for taunting after a third-quarter incompletion intended for Jahmyr Gibbs.
Skipper stood over a Giants defender in a move that didn’t draw a flag during the game but caught the eye of league officials during film review. It’s the kind of post-play behavior the NFL’s been cracking down on in recent years, and while it didn’t cost Detroit yardage in the moment, it now costs Skipper financially.
Rounding out the list is linebacker Jack Campbell, who was fined $17,389 for a hip-drop tackle on Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. late in regulation. Like Skipper, Campbell wasn’t flagged during the game, but the league deemed the play worthy of discipline after the fact. The hip-drop tackle has become a point of emphasis for the NFL as it works to reduce lower-body injuries, and Campbell’s hit falls under the type of technique the league is trying to phase out.
For the Lions, these fines come at a time when discipline-on and off the field-matters more than ever. Sitting at 7-5, Detroit is still very much in the playoff hunt, but the margin for error is shrinking fast.
Penalties, missed assignments, and lapses in judgment-whether they show up on the stat sheet or the fine list-can add up quickly. The Lions have shown flashes of being a legitimate contender this season, but cleaning up the details will be key if they want to make a serious run in December.