The Steelers will be without DK Metcalf for the next two games after the NFL handed down a suspension for the wide receiver over his physical altercation with a Lions fan Sunday during Pittsburgh’s 29-24 win over Detroit.
Metcalf will be suspended for the final two games of the regular season without pay, the NFL announced, describing his actions as “conduct detrimental to the NFL” in a press release.
Metcalf is planning on appealing the suspension, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
In its announcement, the NFL said that Metcalf had violated league policy, which states that “players may not enter the stands or otherwise confront fans at any time on game day and … 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.”
DK Metcalf swipes at a Lions fan during Steelers’ win on Dec. 21, 2025. CBSSports/X
There have been conflicting reports as to what led to the second quarter incident that saw Metcalf grab the shirt of the fan, who has been identified as Ryan Kennedy, pull him down to exchange words, and then attempt to take a swipe at him, hitting the blue wig the fan was wearing.
The fan could be seen raising his arms up after the incident.
Former NFL receiver Chad Johnson said on his podcast “Nightcap” Sunday that Metcalf reacted in that manner because the fan had called him a racial slur and had made a derogatory remark about the Steelers player’s mother.
“He called him the N-word and he did call his mom a c–t. I think, with those words being exchanged and the fan saying that, I think that’s where the action occurred,” Johnson said. “That’s a bad combination [of words] … and it caused DK to react. I’m sure he will have to deal with some type of discipline. You know how the NFL is. No matter what’s said, they want you to be able to control yourself in that situation, but I understand.”
Steelers’ DK Metcalf wipes his face on the bench during the a game against the Detroit Lions. APNFL Network had also reported Monday similar information about the altercation, along with information that Metcalf had reported the same fan to Seahawks security last season when he was a member of Seattle and they had played the Lions at Ford Field.
Kennedy denied the allegations in a statement released through the Michigan law firm Head Murphy Law, with lawyers Shawn Head and Sean Murphy saying that he “categorically denies using the ‘N-word,’ the ‘C-word’ or any racial, misogynistic, or hate-based language during the incident.”
The fan told the Detroit Free Press that he had called the Steelers receiver by his legal name of DeKaylin Zecharius Metcalf.
Metcalf has not addressed the incident publicly.
