Lions' Brian Branch Apologizes for Making Obscene Gesture at Crowd After Ejection

The defensive back was kicked out Sunday after a helmet-to-helmet hit.

Brian Branch reacts to his ejection. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch was kicked out of his team's 24–14 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday after a helmet-to-helmet hit.

When the dust settled on his ejection, he wasted little time making his feelings known by flipping off the Lambeau Field crowd. With the gesture, Branch incurred an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and put himself in a position to apologize Wednesday afternoon.

"That's not something I wanted to show or want people to notice me as that," Branch said via Eric Woodyard of ESPN. "That was just the heat of the moment for me, and I apologize to everyone who seen that and that won't happen again."

Branch, 23, has four interceptions to his name in just seven games this season—one more than he did all of last year, which ended with him receiving AP Defensive Rookie of the Year votes.

The Lions are scheduled to play the Houston Texans Sunday on Sunday Night Football.

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