What’s next for the Commanders' DT after the Amon-Ra St. Brown punch? detailing the hit that sent Washington off the rails

Daron Payne’s suspension dropped on Monday, and it hit a Washington Commanders team that already looks broken. The defensive tackle was punished one game after punching Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon Ra St Brown during Sunday’s 44 to 22 loss.

The league called it a violation of the rules that prohibit striking an opponent in the head or neck area.The punch happened after Detroit scored in the second quarter. Amon Ra St Brown walked through the middle of the field, said something to Daron Payne, and Payne responded by swinging at him. The moment went viral because the celebration before it involved Amon Ra St Brown pointing toward a suite where President Donald Trump was sitting.

The Commanders fell apart from there.

How the fight between Daron Payne and Amon Ra St Brown escalated and why the league stepped in

The NFL reviewed the play and announced the suspension without pay. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that Daron Payne can appeal, but he is expected to miss Washington’s game against the Miami Dolphins in Madrid. The league’s decision aligned with earlier discipline in 2025, including the one game handed to Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter for spitting on Dak Prescott.

Washington players argued that Daron Payne reacted to an earlier hit. Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw insisted Amon Ra St Brown threw the first punch.Kinlaw told reporters, “It’s some bulls… 100 percent. Daron retaliated. The refs literally saw the first punch. I do not blame him for the way he reacted. Tempers got to flaring.”

Amon Ra St Brown gave a different account. He said, “Two plays before that we got into a little scuffle, back and forth.

Then we end up scoring and I go up to him. I say a little something, nothing crazy, and then he decides to swing on me.”The touchdown that sparked the situation came on a drive where Detroit controlled the field. Amon Ra St Brown scored, pointed up at the suite where Trump was located, and did his signature dance. Daron Payne punched him moments later, and officials ejected him.Detroit dominated from that point on. Jared Goff threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns.

The Lions averaged 8.8 yards per play, and Washington delivered its worst defensive outing since 2014. Washington committed three personal fouls during the game. Javon Kinlaw struck an official during the same sequence. Quan Martin said he was kicked during a separate play, which led to another unsportsmanlike conduct flag.Former Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III also weighed in. He posted on X, “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.”

What losing Daron Payne means for a Washington Commanders team collapsing under its own weight

The suspension hits a team that is already hanging together by threads. Washington is 3 and 7. It has lost four straight games by at least 20 points. The Commanders entered the year as a trendy NFC pick after reaching the NFC Championship Game last season. Now they have a 1 percent playoff chance and no clear path out.Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels remains sidelined with an elbow injury.

The team has not placed him on injured reserve, but there is no timeline for return. Marcus Mariota has stepped in and has not been able to produce enough offense to keep games competitive. The locker room looks frustrated, and the sideline looks lost.Head coach Dan Quinn made it clear that Washington has not met its own standard. He said, “We make a big deal about our Commander standards, and we sure as hell are not coaching or playing up to it.

We are way off, and that is up to us to fix that.”

Losing Daron Payne only deepens the problem. He holds a 76.0 PFSN impact grade, ranking 37th among eligible defensive tackles. He is one of the highest paid interior defenders in the league and is due more than one million dollars per game. If the suspension stands, he loses that check. It was also the first ejection of his career.The fallout goes beyond money. Washington’s defense has struggled to generate pressure or stop the run.

Removing one of the only stable veterans makes a weak unit weaker. The mistakes on Sunday showed a team losing emotional control during the hardest stretch of its season.The moment exposed what the record already said. Washington is not disciplined, not healthy, and not close to the version of itself that played deep into January last year. Daron Payne will be eligible to return after the Dolphins game. The bigger issue is whether any part of this season is still salvageable.