NFL Drops The Hammer – Announces 3 Harsh Punishments On Detroit Lions

The NFL has issued fines to three Detroit Lions players stemming from their actions in last week’s overtime home win over the New York Giants.

Few things have been going right for Dan Campbell’s Detroit Lions lately, to say the least. The reigning NFC North champions thought they were getting a big boost after news broke that former All-Pro center Frank Ragnow was coming out of retirement to rejoin the team, only for those plans to be scrapped after he failed a physical.

As if Thursday’s 31-24 loss to the Green Bay Packers at home and Amon-Ra St. Brown’s concerning ankle injury weren’t frustrating enough, three Lions players also learned that their wallets took a bit of a hit because of their actions from last week’s game against the Giants.

Per NFL Gameday Accountability, Lions safety Brian Branch was fined $23,186 for a hit on a defenseless player in the Giants game. Linebacker Jack Campbell was hit with a $17,389 fine for an illegal hip-drop tackle, and veteran offensive tackle Dan Skipper was fined $6,917 for taunting.

Detroit Lions No Longer Control Their Own Playoff Destiny

Sep 14, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) tosses gear to fans as he leaves the field after the game against the Chicago Bears at Ford Field. (Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images)
Having lost three out of their last five games, the Lions went from bonafide Super Bowl contender to suddenly fighting for their playoff lives.

Entering Sunday’s games, the San Francisco 49ers occupy the NFC’s final wild card spot at 8-4. Even if they’re upset by the Cleveland Browns, the 49ers would be 8-5, and they have the conference tiebreaker against Detroit.

If the Lions win out, and that’s easier said than done, they should qualify for the postseason. But that’s highly unlikely, so the Lions will probably need another playoff contender like the 49ers, Chicago Bears or Seattle Seahawks to lose multiple games to lock down a playoff berth.