Pittsburgh Steelers wideout DK Metcalf was suspended for two games following a sideline altercation with a fan during the team’s 29-24 win over the Detroit Lions in Week 16, the league announced Monday.
As a result, Metcalf will miss the final two games of the regular season. He appealed the suspension, but it was upheld Tuesday, according to multiple reports.
“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 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,'” the league said in a statement, in part.
The suspension will cost Metcalf $277,778 per game, or $555,556 in total salary.
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The upheld suspension also raises a considerably more significant financial risk. It will void $45 million in future guaranteed money over the next two years, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Metcalf’s current four-year, $132 million contract notes that if he “fails … to practice or play with the Club for any reason,” including a suspension, his guarantees will “be null and void,” according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. Metcalf could still earn that money over the next two seasons, but it’s no longer guaranteed. Metcalf had $25 million of his salary guaranteed next season and $20 million guaranteed in 2027.
Steelers reportedly remain committed to Metcalf
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Tuesday after Metcalf’s suspension was upheld that “the Steelers have already reaffirmed their commitment to Metcalf for 2026 and beyond.”
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Of course, reaffirming a commitment and a binding contract are two different things. And the Steelers still have the option of voiding that previously guaranteed money if they’re compelled to part with Metcalf for whatever reason.
But Metcalf’s 28 years old and in his physical prime, and the Steelers signed him to that contract because they want him on their roster. Per Pelissero’s report, nothing has changed on that front.
Pelissero also reported Tuesday that neither the NFL nor the Lions will take action against the fan because “there was no violation of the fan code of conduct.”
The incident occurred in the second quarter of the contest Sunday at Ford Field. While the Lions’ offense was on the field, Metcalf approached a fan sitting in the front row and wearing a blue wig. After exchanging words with the fan, Metcalf appeared to throw a punch at the fan’s head. It was unclear whether the punch connected.
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While the incident was captured on the broadcast, it was not seen by officials.
Because of that, Metcalf was not penalized and was not ejected from the contest. He finished the game with four catches and 42 yards on nine targets.
The contest ended in dramatic fashion, as a last-second touchdown by the Lions was taken off the board due to a penalty. Officials needed to chat for multiple minutes to sort out the situation, which resulted in the Steelers winning the game.
The fan was ejected from the contest, per the Detroit Free Press. The fan claimed Metcalf threw a punch because the fan taunted the wideout with his full name, DeKaylin Zecharius.
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On Monday, however, sources told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network that the fan used a derogatory term when taunting Metcalf about his mother. That source also claimed the fan called Metcalf “something we both know you don’t call a Black man.”
Metcalf and the fan reportedly have history, as the wideout apparently reported the fan to NFL security in 2024, when Metcalf was a member of the Seattle Seahawks. The team traveled to Detroit to play the Lions in Week 4 last season.
The fan’s attorney released a statement Monday calling the allegations against the fan, Ryan Kennedy, “completely false.”
“Ryan Kennedy categorically denies using the “N-word,” the “C-word,” or any racial, misogynistic, or hate-based slur during the incident that occurred on December 21, 2025 at Ford Field during the Pittsburgh Steelers-Detroit Lions game.
“These allegations are completely false.”
Metcalf did not speak with reporters after the game, leaving the locker room quickly. When asked about the situation after the game, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said he’d heard about the altercation but had not seen it. At the time, Tomlin said he had not talked to Metcalf about the incident and wasn’t going to comment further.
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During his Tuesday news conference, Tomlin said that although he doesn’t condone Metcalf’s actions, he supports the wide receiver.
Following Sunday’s game, the NFL said it would investigate the altercation. The league was expected to make a quick decision on the situation, which led to Monday’s announcement.
The Steelers enter this week’s contest against the Browns with a 9-6 record. They currently hold the lead in the AFC North, which they can secure with a win over Cleveland. That would lead to the team’s third straight postseason appearance.
In that scenario, Metcalf would be eligible to return for Pittsburgh’s first playoff game next month.
