Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch looked healthy, happy and, most of all, grateful.
Branch spoke to the media after practice on Wednesday, Oct. 7, nearly 10 months after a torn Achilles ended his 2025 season. And with the Pro Bowl defensive back recovering for almost a full year, Branch took the time to express how thankful he is to be in this position.
"It's been a long time coming," he said. "[There's] nothing like being back out there, especially playing with those group of guys, just getting back in the groove of things."
Branch has had limited participation in practice this week after spending the first four weeks of the regular season on injured reserve. And though the Lions haven't specified a target date for the safety's return, there's
a chance that Branch will be ready to play at home against the Green Bay Packers on Oct. 25, one week after Detroit's Week 6 bye.
But even just being at practice is an exciting step for Branch.
"I love being back out there, I love this game and you can't take this game for granted," he said.
If they didn't know this already, the Lions can't take Branch for granted, either. The Lions are last in the NFL in passing yards allowed (304.0 per game) as their injury-depleted secondary has played without Branch or All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph for the first four games of the season. And while Lions coach Dan Campbell says it will take some time for Branch to start "kicking the rust off," Branch seems confident that he can return to form sooner than many expect.
"I'm getting the rust off now in practice," he said. "When I had surgery on my toe two years ago, coming back I was kind of in my head. But this time, I don't know what transpired or what's been going on with me, but I ain't in my head. I'm ready to go."
Lions careful with Branch's return
Branch said the only hurdles to his eventual return are his conditioning and physicality, both things he can take the next couple of weeks to build up. But even though he has been pestering Campbell about his return, telling the coach he has been "starving" to play, he said he appreciates the care the Lions have taken to make sure he recovers well.
"Just want to thank them for not putting me in that position," he said. "They're looking out for me, not just for now but for the long term."
Campbell said earlier on Wednesday that the Lions have been "making sure" that Branch's recovery process has gone smoothly, as the Lions now have 21 days to either activate Branch on the active roster or keep him on the PUP list for the rest of the season.
"We've been as smart as we can be with making sure that he is physically ready to [practice]," he said. "He's been in meetings, he's able to watch walk-throughs ... so he's stayed in it mentally, but it's not the same as taking reps.
"So much of it has been, 'let's focus on the rehab, the rehabilitation, and making sure that we're all in there.' Because if we don't get that right, the rest of it doesn't matter."
Both Branch and Joseph have been eligible to return to practice this week, but Joseph remains on the sidelines while recovering from a knee injury. Branch expressed optimism that he and Joseph would be sharing a field soon, saying that they have been "fighting every day" to return from injury.
That's something Lions fans want to see, and something that Branch wants to give to the fans.
"I just can't wait to show out for them when I get back," he said. "They want to see me back, I want to be back my damn self, so I'm ready to get out there."
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You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Lions S Brian Branch on return to practice: 'I'm ready to go'
