GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Lions safety Brian Branch was ejected for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Packers receiver Bo Melton during Detroit's 24-14 win Sunday.
Branch was disqualified after delivering a late hit on Melton at 6:18 in the second quarter with the Lions leading 7-3 at Lambeau Field.
Branch then flipped off the crowd in apparent frustration and was flagged for another unsportsmanlike conduct penalty before he exited the field.
Branch, a key contributor for Detroit's defense, tallied two tackles against Green Bay before his ejection. Entering the game, his four interceptions were tied for the third most in the NFL.
NFL senior vice president of officiating Perry Fewell told ESPN's Rob Demovsky, the designated pool reporter, that Branch's hit wasn't an automatic ejection, but that the penalty was decided in concert with him in New York.
"We reviewed all the angles, and we clearly felt that he had time and space to make a different choice, as the act was a flagrant foul," Fewell said. "And he clearly had the opportunity to avoid the head and neck area."
Although Branch didn't receive any additional in-game punishment for his double middle-finger gesture following the ejection, he could be subject to some form of discipline later, Fewell said.
Branch did not speak to reporters after the game. Melton said he didn't believe the hit to the head was intentional.
"He was playing ball," Melton said. "I'm all good, so it is what it is. He was playing ball, and he hit me when I was in the air. So it is what it is."
Lions coach Dan Campbell said the only explanation that he received from the referees was that "it came from New York."
Branch's ejection was the first for one of Campbell's players since he took over as Detroit's coach in 2021. Campbell said he didn't see the play happen in real time but will encourage Branch to be smarter with his tackling by lowering his target, particularly in marquee matchups.
"Don't ever want to take away his aggressiveness and his stinger, that's what makes him the player he is, but it doesn't help us when he's not available in the game, either, so I'll tell him to lower it and he's got to get used to that, too," Campbell said. "When you're playing prime-time games, New York is going to look at all these."
Inside the locker room, Branch's teammates didn't agree with the decision.
"Brian Branch just came in, made a football play, and they call whatever they call, and I feel like it was B.S., but that's the cost of playing DB, man," cornerback Amik Robertson said.
Rookie cornerback Terrion Arnold also saw it as a regular hit and was shocked that Branch was punished because he didn't think Branch led with his head, more so with his shoulder.
"You know, BB one of them people like, if you play receiver and BB in the game, you're going to think twice before you catch that ball," Arnold said. "So, it was one of them things, man, great play.
"Way to make a statement. I just feel like, you know, in this league, man, it's become an offensive league, and the only thing we got on defense is just fear," he continued. "So, when he came out there, he was just trying to strike fear into his opponent. And he did that because, I mean, when you look up, No. 80 ain't catch no more passes."
ESPN senior NFL reporter Kalyn Kahler and The Associated Press contributed to this report.