Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf will miss the next two games without pay for taking a swing at a Lions fan during Sunday’s victory in Detroit.
CBS cameras caught Metcalf jawing with a man in a blue wig during the second quarter before grabbing the fan by his shirt collar and punching at his face. Metcalf only made minimal contact, if any, with his swing.
Still, he violated league policy specifying ‘players may not enter the stands or otherwise confront fans at any time on game day.
‘… if a player makes unnecessary physical contact with a fan in any way that constitutes unsportsmanlike conduct or presents crowd-control issues and/or risk of injury, he will be held accountable,’ the rule specifies.
Metcalf will be eligible to return the day after Pittsburgh’s Week 17 matchup with the Cleveland Browns and can be active in Week 18 against the Baltimore Ravens.
He did not discuss the incident with reporters after Sunday’s controversial win in Detroit, but Metcalf and the fan do have a shared history dating back to his time in Seattle. According to NFL Network, Metcalf reported the same fan to Seahawks security in 2024.
Metcalf violated league policy specifying ‘players may not enter the stands or confront fans’
Pittsburgh Steelers’ DK Metcalf walks off the field after what may have been a costly win
As reported by NFL Network, Metcalf claimed on Sunday he heard that fan use a derogatory term to describe his mother and called the receiver ‘something we both know you don’t call a black man.’
Those allegations were branded ‘completely false’ by Kennedy in a statement from his lawyer on Monday, which said he ‘categorically denies using… any racial, misogynistic, or hate-based slur.’
The statement continued: ‘At no point before, during, or after the incident did Mr. Kennedy use racial slurs or hate speech of any kind. The claims suggesting otherwise are untrue and are not supported by video evidence, eyewitness accounts, or any contemporaneous reporting.’
Kennedy’s lawyer claimed that, ‘since these false statements began circulating,’ his client ‘has been subjected to harassment, threats, and messages advocating violence, creating serious concern for his and his family’s personal safety and well-being.’
The statement concluded: ‘Mr. Kennedy is a lifelong Detroit Lions football fan who attended the game lawfully and never anticipated becoming the subject of national attention, much less false accusations of racism. He respects the game, the players, and fellow fans – and rejects hate and discrimination in all forms.’
Kennedy described the incident much differently with reporters. As he told the Detroit Free Press, he simply referred to Metcalf by his ‘government name’: DeKaylin Zecharius Metcalf.
The NFL is said to be investigating the incident, which took place in the second quarter of Pittsburgh’s 29-24 win over Detroit.
The Free Press reported that the Lions threw Kennedy out of the game, adding that officials from the team were speaking to him over the incident.
Metcalf, however, was not tossed from the game, with the NFL explaining: ‘There was no flag on the field, so [the league office in New York] cannot weigh in with regard to a potential disqualification.’
The receiver finished with four catches for 42 yards on Sunday as the Steelers ended up beating the Lions 29-24.
