NFL star ejected after punching opponent in face for 'performing Donald Trump gesture'

Tensions boiled over between the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders on Sunday (November 9).

The two teams went head-to-head yesterday, with the Lions proving victorious and winning 44-22.

The game was attended by President Donald Trump, which made him the first sitting president in five decades to attend a regular-season NFL game.

Of course, he rocked up fashionably late, as well as leaving the game early; and it's safe to say he received a frosty reception when he did eventually turn up.

Addressing the crowd from his box with a microphone, you could barely hear what the POTUS was saying over the sea of boos from football fans.

The players knew the president would be attending the game and, with this in mind, Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown decided to celebrate his touchdown by pointing up at the box and then doing Trump's infamous dance. Little did he know the president wasn't actually in the box at the time.

"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 he thought it was just a bit of fun, Commanders' Daron Payne found it much less entertaining and actually punched St. Brown after he did it in a moment that was caught on camera.

Payne's actions took place in front of the referee and he was ejected the from the game as a result.

His actions shocked people who took to social media to air their opinions on the matter.

See the shocking moment here:

Daron Payne just randomly punching Amon Ra St Brown is sending me 😭 pic.twitter.com/Yr3OsTeIcF

— NFL Memes (@NFLHateMemes) November 9, 2025

One person said: "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."

Sharing the clip to Twitter, somebody else penned: "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."

D-lineman Javon Kinlaw has since spoken out in Payne's defense and branded his ejection as 'some bullsh*t'.

"Daron only retaliated because the refs literally saw the first punch," he told reporters in the Washington locker room.

"I don’t blame him for the way he reacted,” Kinlaw went on. "Tempers got to flying, it is what it is, it’s a physical game."