Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown Sends Heartfelt Message to Brian Branch After ‘MNF’ Win
The Detroit Lions have their teammate’s back.
Safety Brian Branch was suspended one game after he struck Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster after a Week 6 game and set off a brief fight.
The Lions were forced to play without Branch on “Monday Night Football” against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Detroit had a promising, dominating performance against Tampa, winning 24-9.
St. Brown, Robertson Support Branch Postgame
Several Lions players wanted to reach out to their teammate during postgame celebrations Monday.
“We love each other — we play for each other,” said receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown after the game. “Guys make mistakes, it doesn’t matter, we were here for each other.”
GettyDETROIT, MICHIGAN – OCTOBER 20: Amon-Ra St. Brown #14 of the Detroit Lions runs the ball against Jamel Dean #35 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first quarter of the game at Ford Field on October 20, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
Cornerback Amik Robertson donned Branch’s No. 32 jersey during his postgame press conference to show support.
“That was our goal to go out there and support him because we always in his corner,” he said. “Great player, an unbelievable person, great teammate. We wanted to go out their and represent him. We love him, we can’t wait to have him back.”
Detroit Defense and Jahmyr Gibbs Was Recipe for Success
The Lions defense brought Tampa’s quarterback Baker Mayfield back to reality this season. Mayfield had a strong start to the season with whispers that he was in the MVP race, but the former No. 1 overall pick struggled on Monday night.
On offense, running back Jahmyr Gibbs shined. He scored on a long sprint in the second quarter and a 5-yard spinning dive in the third, while racking up a career-high 218 yards from scrimmage.
“You felt like this was coming,” Detroit coach Dan Campbell said. “This has been building.”
The Lions (5-2) rebounded from their loss in trademark fashion, extending their NFL-best streak to 51 consecutive regular-season games without suffering back-to-back defeats—a run that has lasted nearly three years.
“The guys responded, which I knew they would,” Campbell said.
Tampa Bay (5-2) was outgained by more than 200 yards in the first half but trailed only 14-3, thanks to Detroit’s miscues — an interception, a fumble, a turnover on downs, and a missed field goal.
Rookie Tez Johnson cut the deficit early in the second half with a 22-yard touchdown catch, bringing the Buccaneers within five, but they had no answer for Gibbs.
On the following drive, Gibbs broke loose for a 15-yard run and hauled in a 28-yard reception, setting up his second touchdown to extend Detroit’s lead to 21-9 late in the third quarter.
The third-year running back capped the night with a season-best 136 rushing yards on 17 carries and 82 receiving yards on three catches — a combined total topped only four times in franchise history this century.
Gibbs also became the first NFL player since Chris Johnson in 2009 to record at least 135 rushing yards, 80 receiving yards, and two rushing touchdowns in a single game.
“He’s a very talented running back and when you miss a gap, he can turn it into a big play,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said.
Detroit quarterback Jared Goff completed 20 of 29 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown, while Mayfield went 28 of 50 for 228 yards, throwing one touchdown and one interception.
Kyle Shanahan Talks About 49ers Trade Deadline Strategy
The San Francisco 49ers are on a hot streak to begin the 2025 NFL season. Beating the Atlanta Falcons in week seven on Sunday Night Football to improve to 5-2 on the season, the 49ers have defied the odds and have once again looked like a team ready to compete in the NFC. Even with the number of injuries that the team is dealing with, the 49ers have found ways to win and are in first place in the NFC West.
But even in the midst of all the excitement, injuries have undoubtedly put a slight dimmer on the 49ers’ season. The team is already down stars like Fred Warner and Nick Bosa for the rest of the season, while players such as George Kittle and Brock Purdy, among others have also missed time due to various ailments. And with the trade deadline approaching and the 49ers in the thick of the playoff hunt, head coach Kyle Shanahan shared his thoughts on Monday, Oct. 20 about the team’s approach at the deadline.
Shanahan Shares Deadline Thoughts
Losing Bosa left a massive hole at pass rush, leading to speculation about if the 49ers would make a move for an edge rusher. But in recent weeks, offseason acquisition Bryce Huff has stepped up and filled the void left by Bosa. But against the Falcons, Huff sustained an injury that will keep him out for a couple of weeks, adding to the growing list of 49ers injuries. Still, the 49ers have been playing hard and have kept themselves atop the NFC, which could force the 49ers to make a move to keep their season alive. But even if a move is made, the 49ers need to be careful not to give up too much of their future.
“I don’t like to say imperative [that a player we acquire via trade must help next year] at all just because I don’t like to put an absolute on anything,” Shanahan said on Monday. “But yeah, I think that’s something that we definitely would prefer. Of course, we want someone to help us out this year, but I’d love it not to be at the expense of our team next year also. I know we all feel that way, and hopefully, we can find a situation that does both. And If not, you don’t do something like that just to do it. I’m really excited about the guys we have in our building right now also.”
Making a move for a pass rusher, or another position of need, is very feasible given the amount of talent on losing teams, but with only five draft picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, the 49ers cannot really afford to give up that much draft capital. However with a big draft class in 2025, bringing in a guy via a trade allows time for those young guys to develop and become a bigger part of the team in the future.
Can the 49ers Win It All With This Group?
The 49ers may be 5-2, but the season only gets harder from here. The regular season schedule is pretty favorable for the 49ers, but if the team makes the postseason, they will have face stiff competition coming out of the NFC. A young and banged up team, it will be very hard for the 49ers to get through those top teams in the playoffs– especially with the way this team is currently constructed.
