The fallout from the Brian Branch–NFL Films controversy continued Friday as Louis Riddick finally broke his silence. The longtime ESPN analyst and narrator of NFL Turning Point issued a public statement regarding the now-deleted video that took aim at the Detroit Lions safety, but notably, he stopped short of offering an actual apology to Branch or the organization.
In his statement, Riddick emphasized that he holds deep respect for the Lions and insisted there was “never an intent to do a hit piece.”
“The Detroit Lions organization is one that I have nothing but respect for,” Riddick said. “Ownership, Head Coach, General Manager, and players. Fast forward to this week, the “Turning Point” episode that was voiced by me recently that covered the Chiefs/Lions game didn’t come across the way it should have.”
Riddick explained that the show’s goal is to tell the full story of a game, “good and bad”, and that the short clip promoting the full episode was misleading in isolation.
“The intent is to collaboratively, as a group, document the events of game. Good and bad. There is NEVER an intent to do a “hit piece” on anyone or any team. That being said, I can see how the short clip that was posted could be taken as an attempt to cast the #Lions or Brian Branch in a calculated, unfavorable manner. I don’t want to be a part of that. I will be sure to make certain that anything that has my name attached to it will never again leave room for it to be interpreted that way in the future.”
While Riddick’s statement attempts to clarify intent, it’s worth noting that it doesn’t include any direct apology to Branch, Dan Campbell, or the Detroit Lions organization.
A Measured Response, But Not an Apology
Riddick’s comments come after NFL Films deleted the clip and issued its own statement on Thursday, claiming the short excerpt “felt overly critical” of Branch and the Lions when viewed outside of the full nine-minute episode.
However, the damage was already done. The video, narrated by Riddick, framed Branch’s performance and postgame behavior in a way that many fans and players felt was unfair, even mocking.
Now, Riddick’s statement seems to be an effort to distance himself from the controversy, without fully taking ownership of the fallout.
The Bottom Line
Louis Riddick says there was no intent to unfairly target Brian Branch or the Detroit Lions, but intent isn’t the issue, impact is. The video was published, fans were insulted, and the damage was done.
And while Riddick’s statement checked all the boxes of professionalism and restraint, it left out the one thing Lions fans were waiting for: a simple “I’m sorry.”
