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NFL Admits to Officiating Error as Lions Star Is Punished Late for Illegal Play on Tucker Kraft During Packers Game

NFL officiating has endured relentless criticism throughout the 2026 season, but a controversial Week 7 Packers–Lions showdown pushed frustration to a boiling point. Amid eight penalties against Green Bay and sharp rebukes from the broadcast booth, one glaring oversight stood…

By Soheli Tarafdar · Essentially Sports

Published: Sunday, 1 November 2026 at 11:30 AM

Key Things to Know

The NFL acknowledged a missed call and fined Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch $23,882 for hitting Tucker Kraft.
Branch went unpenalized during the game for the helmet-to-helmet collision on the Packers tight end.
The Detroit Lions defeated the Green Bay Packers 20-17 in the controversial Week 7 matchup.

The Story in 60 Seconds

The NFL confirmed an officiating error occurred during the Green Bay Packers' Week 7 loss to the Detroit Lions, issuing a late fine to Lions safety Brian Branch. Branch was fined $23,882 for an unflagged helmet-to-helmet hit on Packers tight end Tucker Kraft. The missed 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty occurred in the first quarter of Detroit's 20-17 victory.

Several controversial officiating decisions drew sharp criticism from the Packers, including safety Xavier McKinney, after multiple penalties favored Detroit during key moments. The postgame discipline came under scrutiny from writer Soheli Tarafdar, who argues that relying on retroactive fines rather than in-game penalties fails to protect players or alter critical game outcomes.

Read the full article on Essentially Sports