Brian Branch has been playing with the Detroit Lions since 2023 and has been a solid player at his position. By his second season, he was an undisputed starter, but he has always drawn attention for that green thing on his helmet, which is nothing more than his mouthguard.
During his rookie year in Detroit, people wanted to know what the deal was and why he wore it on his helmet. “I put it up there, because I can’t really breathe with it in,” Branch told Sports Illustrated in 2023.
But it wasn’t a habit he started in the NFL; he has been wearing his mouthguard on his helmet since college. “I’ve been playing with it like that since college, so I guess it’s like tradition,” he said. He also noted that another reason he wears it on his helmet is in case he needs to play longer than normal in a game.
No Change This Season for Branch
In the first two games of the 2025 season, Branch was once again seen wearing the green mouthguard on his helmet against the Packers and Bears. It’s likely he’ll continue to do so for the rest of the season.
In 2023, Branch was already aware that people were recognizing him for wearing the mouthguard on his helmet, to which he commented, “Shoot, I guess that’s probably gonna be my little trademark about something,” knowing that people were very curious about the green thing.
It’s not the first time a player has been seen using their mouthguard in this way or simply using it incorrectly. Other players, including quarterbacks, have been seen with the mouthguard outside their mouths before a play, seemingly just to comply with NFL rules.