Commanders’ Daron Payne Ejected for Punching Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown
Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne was ejected from Sunday night’s game against the Detroit Lions after throwing a punch at star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Key Takeaways:
- Daron Payne ejected for punching Amon-Ra St. Brown
- Incident occurred with 9:40 left in second quarter
- Potential multi-game suspension looming
- Javon Kinlaw also involved in separate altercation with official
Game Incident Details
The altercation took place with 9:40 remaining in the second quarter at Northwest Stadium, shortly after Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs scored a touchdown. The punch thrown by Payne could result in a multi-game suspension for the 28-year-old lineman.
In a separate incident following the two-point conversion, Commanders defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw appeared to push an official but was not ejected from the game.
Social Media Reactions
The video of the punch quickly went viral, drawing widespread criticism from fans and analysts alike.
One social media user commented: “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.”
Another added: “Daron Payne was ejected for throwing a right hook at Amon-Ra St.Brown, and Kinlaw pushed the official after the 2-pt conversion and is honestly lucky he wasn’t ejected too. Absolutely embarrassing by this defense.”
A third person noted: “DaRon Payne PUNCHED Amon-Ra St. Brown and has been ejected from the game. Commanders already short handed, this was just dumb… you’re gonna hurt your hand more than the guy.”
Other reactions included calls for Payne’s release, with one fan stating: “Daron Payne should be released and I’m not kidding. Play on the field has always been subpar but stuff like this tops it off.”



