Emotions ran high during the clash between the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders on Sunday, November 9.
The match ended with the Lions securing a 44-22 victory over the Commanders.
This game drew significant attention as President Donald Trump attended, marking the first instance in 50 years that a sitting president watched a regular-season NFL game.
Trump arrived late and left before the game concluded, and his presence was met with a mixed reception from the crowd.
When he addressed the audience from his box, the boos from the crowd drowned out his words, overshadowing the moment.
Aware of the president’s attendance, Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown celebrated a touchdown by mimicking Trump’s signature dance while gesturing toward the box, unaware that Trump was not present at that moment.
“I heard Trump was going to be [here],” St Brown said, as per The Guardian. “I don’t know how many times the president’s going to be at the game, so just decided to have some fun.”
While St. Brown intended it as a playful gesture, Commanders’ player Daron Payne reacted negatively, punching St. Brown in an incident caught on camera.
The referee witnessed Payne’s actions, leading to his ejection from the game.
The incident sparked widespread discussion on social media, with many expressing their views.
Watch the dramatic scene unfold here:
One user commented, “As a leader of Washington’s defense, Daron Payne should know better than to throw a punch on the field. He should be suspended. There is no place for this in sports.”
Another tweeted, “Footage of the Daron Payne incident. Yeahhhh you can’t do that. That was stupid, especially from a veteran. The frustration of these players is boiling over.”
Defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw later defended Payne, criticizing his ejection as ‘some bullsh*t’.
“Daron only retaliated because the refs literally saw the first punch,” he explained to reporters in the Washington locker room.
“I don’t blame him for the way he reacted,” Kinlaw added. “Tempers got to flying, it is what it is, it’s a physical game.”