Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf has been suspended for two games without pay by the NFL and will now miss the rest of the regular season after “initiating a physical confrontation” with a Detroit Lions fan during Sunday’s victory at Ford Field.
The league said in a statement: “Metcalf’s actions violate league policy, which specifies that ‘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.”
NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero said Metcalf plans to appeal the suspension, with the 28-year-old poised to sit out the Week 17 fixture against the Cleveland Browns and then the regular-season finale against the Baltimore Ravens.
The Steelers are 9-6 and in pole position to win the AFC North, needing one win or one Ravens loss in the next two weeks.
Television footage showed Metcalf speaking to a fan, who was wearing a blue wig and hanging over the first-row railing, before throwing a punch and walking away.
The incident was not addressed during the game and Metcalf returned to play in the second half
“I heard about it, I haven’t had an opportunity to talk to DK, so I have no comment,” said head coach Mike Tomlin immediately after the game.
Pittsburgh Steelers’ Kenneth Gainwell somehow manages to haul in a 45-yard touchdown catch from Aaron Rodgers in their clash with the Detroit Lions
Lions fan ‘categorically denies’ using racial slur
Pelissero reported on Monday that Metcalf had previously reported the same fan to Seahawks security while still playing for Seattle last season.
He added that a source informed him the fan, identified by The Detroit Free Press as Ryan Kennedy, had called Metcalf’s mother a derogatory word, as well as calling Metcalf “something we both know you don’t call a Black man.”
Kennedy “categorically denied” allegations of using a racial slur or any other misogynistic or hate-based language in a statement released by his lawyers, Shawn Head and Sean Murphy of the Head Murphy Law Firm, on Monday.
The statement branded the accusations “completely false” and also said: “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 not supported by video evidence, eyewitness accounts or any contemporaneous reporting.”
Metcalf is now set to miss the rest of the regular NFL season
Kennedy’s lawyers added that their client would have no further comment because “this matter will now likely be the subject of formal legal proceedings.”
Kennedy told the Detroit Free Press that Metcalf ripped his shirt during the incident and that the player was unhappy after he used his full legal name.
Metcalf, who finished the game with four catches for 42 yards, agreed a five-year, $150m contract extension with the Steelers in March after arriving in a trade from the Seattle Seahawks.
He entered the NFL with Seattle as a second-round pick out of Ole Miss in 2019 before surpassing 1,000 receiving yards in three of his six seasons with the Seahawks. He has posted 55 catches for 808 yards and six touchdowns in his first season in Pittsburgh.
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Siegel: Marc Savard’s firing was an unusual half-measure by the Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs didn’t fire head coach Craig Berube on Monday. They fired one of his assistant coaches, Marc Savard, instead, in an unusual half-measure that doesn’t get at the root of the Leafs’ problems this season.There were legitimate reasons for Savard’s dismissal, odd as it was coming 35 games into the season.AdvertisementSavard oversaw the power play and the power play was bad all season long. It has been a significant factor in the team’s troubles: not the factor, but a factor. Each and every stab at a solution — including having Auston Matthews (weirdly) quarterback a five-forward top unit with Easton Cowan — didn’t work. The unit never did feel prepared in the way it had been in previous seasons. There were days when the Leafs didn’t practise it all amid the stumbles, only to show up with a new-look […]
Why Eagles are sticking with Jake Elliott after three missed field goals vs. Commanders
The Philadelphia Eagles are sticking with struggling Jake Elliott, whose two Super Bowl rings with the Eagles outweigh a cold stretch that included three missed field goals Saturday.“He’s had such a great career with so many highs, but like any player, he’s had some moments of struggle as well, and all I’ve ever seen him do is get up out of that and rise from that. I know he went through some struggles last year and ended up having however many field goals and extra points in the Super Bowl and in the NFC championship game,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said Monday. “So I have no doubt in my mind about the competitor he is and the way and how mentally tough he is to be able to rise from this situation as well.”AdvertisementAsked if the Eagles will bring in […]
Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel sets NBA record as fastest player to reach 100 made 3-pointers
Kon Knueppel didn’t need much time to set a new NBA record this season.The Charlotte Hornets rookie is now the fastest player in league history to reach 100 career made 3-pointers. Knueppel needed just 29 games to hit that mark, which he did on Monday night in the Hornets’ 139-132 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. That’s 12 games faster than Lauri Markkanen needed when he set the record during his rookie season.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementKnueppel entered Monday’s game at Rocket Arena with 99 made 3-pointers in his career. He got it done off an assist from Sion James late in the first quarter of the contest.Knueppel finished the night with 20 points in the loss, and shot 5-of-9 from behind the arc. He’s up to 104 made 3-pointers on the season, which is the second most in the league only behind Donovan Mitchell […]
ECHL player union announces strike notice starting Friday
The ECHL, one of the top minor hockey leagues in North America, could go dark with a work stoppage Friday as its membership has served a notice to go on strike following unsuccessful labor negotiations toward a new collective bargaining agreement.The Professional Hockey Players’ Association announced the move Monday after authorizing a strike Thursday, citing a forced step “to protect the integrity of the bargaining process” resulting from what it alleges are “ongoing unfair labor practices” by the ECHL.Advertisement“We have informed the ECHL that we are willing to continue discussions to resolve all outstanding matters,” PHPA executive director Brian Ramsay said in a statement. “For several months, we have been engaged in bargaining with the league, and their unlawful and coercive conduct throughout this process has been incredibly disappointing.“We are asking for basic standards around health, safety and working conditions […]
Media backlash grows over Travis Kelce’s controversial behavior
Travis Kelce's silence after Kansas City Chiefs games has become as consistent as his dominance on the field, and it continued following the team's 26-9 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.The defeat dropped Kansas City to 6-9 on the season, officially ending any playoff hopes after they were mathematically eliminated the previous week.Kelce's decision to stay silent followed earlier losses, including a Week 14 defeat to the Houston Texans and the team's season-ending loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, which knocked Kansas City out of playoff contention.Throughout the 2025 season, Kelce has largely avoided speaking with reporters, choosing instead to communicate through his "New Heights" podcast.Kelce, 36, could be playing in his final NFL season, and speculation about his potential retirement has intensified.The three-time Super Bowl-winning tight end struggled against the Titans, catching just one pass for six yards […]
Media backlash grows over Travis Kelce’s controversial behavior
Travis Kelce's silence after Kansas City Chiefs games has become as consistent as his dominance on the field, and it continued following the team's 26-9 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.The defeat dropped Kansas City to 6-9 on the season, officially ending any playoff hopes after they were mathematically eliminated the previous week.Kelce's decision to stay silent followed earlier losses, including a Week 14 defeat to the Houston Texans and the team's season-ending loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, which knocked Kansas City out of playoff contention.Throughout the 2025 season, Kelce has largely avoided speaking with reporters, choosing instead to communicate through his "New Heights" podcast.Kelce, 36, could be playing in his final NFL season, and speculation about his potential retirement has intensified.The three-time Super Bowl-winning tight end struggled against the Titans, catching just one pass for six yards […]
Related
Siegel: Marc Savard’s firing was an unusual half-measure by the Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs didn’t fire head coach Craig Berube on Monday. They fired one of his assistant coaches, Marc Savard, instead, in an unusual half-measure that doesn’t get at the root of the Leafs’ problems this season.There were legitimate reasons for Savard’s dismissal, odd as it was coming 35 games into the season.AdvertisementSavard oversaw the power play and the power play was bad all season long. It has been a significant factor in the team’s troubles: not the factor, but a factor. Each and every stab at a solution — including having Auston Matthews (weirdly) quarterback a five-forward top unit with Easton Cowan — didn’t work. The unit never did feel prepared in the way it had been in previous seasons. There were days when the Leafs didn’t practise it all amid the stumbles, only to show up with a new-look […]
Why Eagles are sticking with Jake Elliott after three missed field goals vs. Commanders
The Philadelphia Eagles are sticking with struggling Jake Elliott, whose two Super Bowl rings with the Eagles outweigh a cold stretch that included three missed field goals Saturday.“He’s had such a great career with so many highs, but like any player, he’s had some moments of struggle as well, and all I’ve ever seen him do is get up out of that and rise from that. I know he went through some struggles last year and ended up having however many field goals and extra points in the Super Bowl and in the NFC championship game,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said Monday. “So I have no doubt in my mind about the competitor he is and the way and how mentally tough he is to be able to rise from this situation as well.”AdvertisementAsked if the Eagles will bring in […]
Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel sets NBA record as fastest player to reach 100 made 3-pointers
Kon Knueppel didn’t need much time to set a new NBA record this season.The Charlotte Hornets rookie is now the fastest player in league history to reach 100 career made 3-pointers. Knueppel needed just 29 games to hit that mark, which he did on Monday night in the Hornets’ 139-132 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. That’s 12 games faster than Lauri Markkanen needed when he set the record during his rookie season.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementKnueppel entered Monday’s game at Rocket Arena with 99 made 3-pointers in his career. He got it done off an assist from Sion James late in the first quarter of the contest.Knueppel finished the night with 20 points in the loss, and shot 5-of-9 from behind the arc. He’s up to 104 made 3-pointers on the season, which is the second most in the league only behind Donovan Mitchell […]
ECHL player union announces strike notice starting Friday
The ECHL, one of the top minor hockey leagues in North America, could go dark with a work stoppage Friday as its membership has served a notice to go on strike following unsuccessful labor negotiations toward a new collective bargaining agreement.The Professional Hockey Players’ Association announced the move Monday after authorizing a strike Thursday, citing a forced step “to protect the integrity of the bargaining process” resulting from what it alleges are “ongoing unfair labor practices” by the ECHL.Advertisement“We have informed the ECHL that we are willing to continue discussions to resolve all outstanding matters,” PHPA executive director Brian Ramsay said in a statement. “For several months, we have been engaged in bargaining with the league, and their unlawful and coercive conduct throughout this process has been incredibly disappointing.“We are asking for basic standards around health, safety and working conditions […]
Media backlash grows over Travis Kelce’s controversial behavior
Travis Kelce's silence after Kansas City Chiefs games has become as consistent as his dominance on the field, and it continued following the team's 26-9 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.The defeat dropped Kansas City to 6-9 on the season, officially ending any playoff hopes after they were mathematically eliminated the previous week.Kelce's decision to stay silent followed earlier losses, including a Week 14 defeat to the Houston Texans and the team's season-ending loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, which knocked Kansas City out of playoff contention.Throughout the 2025 season, Kelce has largely avoided speaking with reporters, choosing instead to communicate through his "New Heights" podcast.Kelce, 36, could be playing in his final NFL season, and speculation about his potential retirement has intensified.The three-time Super Bowl-winning tight end struggled against the Titans, catching just one pass for six yards […]
Media backlash grows over Travis Kelce’s controversial behavior
Travis Kelce's silence after Kansas City Chiefs games has become as consistent as his dominance on the field, and it continued following the team's 26-9 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.The defeat dropped Kansas City to 6-9 on the season, officially ending any playoff hopes after they were mathematically eliminated the previous week.Kelce's decision to stay silent followed earlier losses, including a Week 14 defeat to the Houston Texans and the team's season-ending loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, which knocked Kansas City out of playoff contention.Throughout the 2025 season, Kelce has largely avoided speaking with reporters, choosing instead to communicate through his "New Heights" podcast.Kelce, 36, could be playing in his final NFL season, and speculation about his potential retirement has intensified.The three-time Super Bowl-winning tight end struggled against the Titans, catching just one pass for six yards […]
Be the first to leave a comment