In his first NFL game, former Alabama defensive back Brian Branch came up with his first interception, which he turned into his first touchdown in the kickoff game for the league’s 104th season on Thursday night.

A second-round draft choice of the Detroit Lions on April 28, Branch was in the right place when Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ pass bounced off Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney’s hands. Branch caught the football with one hand and sprinted 50 yards to the end zone as the Lions tied the game at 14-14 with 10:54 left in the third quarter at Arrowhead Stadium.

In the five previous season-opening games of his NFL career, Mahomes had thrown 18 touchdown passes and no interceptions.

Branch became the ninth former Alabama player to return an interception for a touchdown as an NFL rookie, following Chuck DeShane in 1945, Rebel Steiner in 1950, Benny Nelson in 1964, Jeremiah Castille in 1983, Paul Tripoli in 1987, Eddie Jackson in 2017, Minkah Fitzpatrick in 2018 and Patrick Surtain II in 2021.

Branch became the third Crimson Tide alumnus to return an interception for a touchdown in his first career game, but the first to do so in his team’s first game of his first season.

On Sept. 19, 1964, Nelson picked off Oakland Raiders quarterback Tom Flores and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown in the Houston Oilers’ 42-28 victory. While the game was Nelson’s first, it was the Oilers’ second of the 1964 season.

On Oct. 10, 1987, Tripoli picked off Lions quarterback Todd Hons and returned it 15 yards for a touchdown in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 31-27 victory. Tripoli had two interceptions in his first NFL game, which was the third of the 1987 season for the Bucs.

Branch’s performance in the offseason program, training camp and preseason caused Detroit to rearrange its secondary to insert the rookie as their slot corner.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.