New videos put Patrick Mahomes under scrutiny for sparking the postgame brawl against the Lions

Patrick Mahomes appears to be regaining his form this season, much like the Kansas City Chiefs themselves. However, something that happened at the end of Sunday night’s matchup against the Detroit Lions ignited the tension that erupted into a heated brawl involving several players from both teams.

A recently surfaced video shows the Chiefs’ quarterback seemingly mocking members of the Lions, moments before the fight broke out. The altercation ended with Kansas City’s JuJu Smith-Schuster bleeding from the nose after being struck amid the chaos.  The scene unfolded when Mahomes reportedly tried to shake hands with Detroit defender Brian Branch. The Lions’ defensive back ignored the Chiefs’ star and instead went straight after Smith-Schuster, setting off a physical confrontation that quickly escalated.

Internet detectives identify the instigator

As often happens in the digital age, fans immediately took to social media to analyze every angle of the footage, determined to pinpoint who was to blame for the melee. It didn’t take long before online sleuths claimed that Mahomes himself had provoked Branch just moments earlier.

The fake lateral
The spin
The point on Branch
The flex

Mahomes is FEELING himself #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/5SeYqmxsKZ

— SleeperChiefs (@SleeperChiefsKC) October 13, 2025

In the play leading up to the incident, Mahomes scrambled for a touchdown between two Lions defenders. Afterward, Branch appeared to shove him, and Mahomes responded with what many described as an unmistakable taunt, gesturing and smirking at his opponent.  According to online users, that showboating may have been the reason Branch refused to shake Mahomes’ hand after the loss. One post read:

THIS. IS. QB1‼️

Congrats on being the fastest to 300, @PatrickMahomes! pic.twitter.com/Mk6iC8B30s

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) October 13, 2025

“To the Mahomes was just trying to shake Branch’s hand crowd… go back to the Mahomes TD where he clearly taunts Branch after the play. And of course… no flag.”

Another commented:

” Ya’ll think Brian Branch wanted to shake Mahomes’ hand after he did this to him?

” Only Mahomes can taunt and it’s not even questioned.

Wrote a third.”

Others expressed frustration:

Where the f** is that taunting penalty?

Brian Branch ignored Patrick Mahomes’ dap at the end of the game, and JuJu Smith-Schuster didn’t like it — Branch hit him, and it started a brawl. pic.twitter.com/0zlJTCY0It

— Preme Football (@premefootball) October 13, 2025

Defenders of Mahomes countered:

Mahomes always celebrates like this. Branch is just a crybaby and a sore loser.

Another added sarcastically:

Yeah, punching him was the only mature response. Any two-year-old can throw a fit. Grow up.

Mahomes and Branch address the aftermath

Patrick Mahomes tonight vs. Lions 🔥

3 PASS TD
1 RUSH TD
288 TOTAL YARDS
22/30

W. pic.twitter.com/8SMLeB2gau

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 13, 2025

Fans weren’t the only ones reacting. When interviewed after the game, Mahomes downplayed the controversy.  I mean, we play the game in between the whistles,  They can do all the extracurricular stuff they want to do. We will play the game in between the whistles.  he said.

Branch, on the other hand, expressed clear frustration, arguing that officials ignored several cheap shots from Smith-Schuster throughout the contest.

Was It a Legitimate Roughing Call or a Flop? #Hutchinson took 2-3 steps after #Mahomes released the pass clearly arriving late, with his body weight landing fully on Mahomes after the throw. No flop Mahomes went down naturally from the momentum of the collision. #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/Ol0dTtM38e

— Mikasa4231 (@mikasa4231) October 13, 2025

I’m tired of people doing stuff in between the play and refs don’t catch it,” he said. “They are trying to bully me out there. (I) shouldn’t have done it. I got blocked in the back illegally, it was in front of the ref and the ref didn’t do anything.

He later acknowledged regret for his reaction:

Patrick Mahomes wanted to give a handshake to Brian Branch, but Branch refused.

Then Branch slapped JuJu Smith Schuster to the ground.

And it got ugly from there. Whoa.

pic.twitter.com/ScG16hHdaw

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 13, 2025

Just stuff like that. I could have got hurt off the play. I still shouldn’t have done that. There was a lot of stuff but I shouldn’t have shown it and I apologize for that.  The game ended on an especially tense note, and it’s highly likely the NFL will review the footage and consider disciplinary action against those involved.