Daron Payne was ejected on Sunday after the Commanders' DT threw a punch at Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown. The 28-year-old was taken to the locker room, and soon fellow DT Javon Kinlaw, who hit an official, was called for unsportsmanlike conduct. He was ejected, too.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown celebrates after scoring during the first half of the game against the Washington Commanders (AP)
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As chaos unraveled at the Washington vs Detroit game, with President Donald Trump in attendance, several theories about the punch row came up. Social media users jokingly speculated that Payne was furious with Brown's ‘Trump dance’ celebration earlier in the game.
“I figured it out. Daron Payne plays for the Commanders. Donald Trump says he wants the Commanders to name the new stadium after him. Amon Ra St Brown did the Donald Trump dance after his touchdown. Daron Payne must have punched St Brown because he disagrees with Trump,” one fan posted on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
“The Commanders Daron Payne (DL) was ejected for punching the Detroit Lions Amon-Ra St.Brown (WR) after St. Brown did the Trump dance. I think we know who Payne votes for. 🙄” another fan added.
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It is unclear why Payne punched Brown.
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It is unclear why Payne punched Brown.
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Trump has reportedly been demanding that the Commanders name their new stadium after him. No formal request has been made, but ESPN reported on Saturday that the president has had ‘back-channel communications’ with a member of Washington's ownership group, which is led by Josh Harris. The group includes 20 partners.
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“I’m a little bit late,” Trump told reporters earlier when he got off Air Force One after landing at Joint Base Andrews, following a flyover of Northwest Stadium during the game. He then got in his armored car for the drive to the arena.
“We’re gonna have a good game. Things are going along very well. The country’s doing well. The Democrats have to open it up,” he said — a reference to the government shutdown.
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.
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Home/Sports/Us Sports/Daron Payne vs Amon-Ra St Brown punch row gets bizarre Trump dance angle; ‘not MAGA'
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