NEW YORK (AP) — The one-game suspension of Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch was upheld Wednesday by a hearing officer appointed by the NFL and the NFL Players’ Association.

Jordy Nelson, the hearing officer, denied the appeal by Branch, who was suspended for a game without pay by the league Monday for unsportsmanlike conduct following a loss at Kansas City.

Branch punched Chiefs receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster on Sunday night, setting off a postgame melee.

Detroit (4-2) will host NFC South-leading Tampa Bay (5-1) without Branch, another blow for a team with a banged-up secondary.

In a letter to Branch, Jon Runyan, the league vice president of football operations, wrote: “Your aggressive, non-football act was entirely unwarranted, posed a serious risk of injury, and clearly violated the

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