Commanders' Daron Payne Ejected After Punching Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown

Washington Commanders defensive lineman Daron Payne was ejected during Sunday's matchup against the Detroit Lions after punching wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown following a Jahmyr Gibbs touchdown in the second quarter.

Shortly after Payne's ejection, Washington defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw was hit with an unsportsmanlike penalty for making contact with an official.

It's been a rough season for the Commanders. A year after reaching the playoffs behind the incredible rookie season from Jayden Daniels, the team started the 2025 campaign 3-6 and quickly found itself down against the Lions.

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Worse, key players like Daniels and Terry McLaurin have battled with injuries all season long. And another loss on Sunday would all but extinguish the team's playoff hopes, given how loaded the NFC has proven to be this season.

As for Payne, the 28-year-old hasn't offered a huge impact this season from a statistical standpoint, with 30 tackles (five for loss), five quarterback hits and a sack in nine games. He was a Pro Bowler in 2022 after posting 11.5 sacks, though that was a bit of an outlier—he has 23.5 sacks in his seven other seasons.

But he remains a key player on Washington's defense and a disruptive force from the interior. He is also a team leader—he was named a captain for Sunday's matchup with the Lions.

His absence certainly wasn't ideal for a Commanders team looking to stage a comeback against the Lions, and perhaps save their season in the process.