Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf has been suspended two games without pay by the NFL for "initiating a physical confrontation with a fan" during Sunday’s game at the Detroit Lions, the league announced on Monday.
NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported that Metcalf plans to appeal the suspension, which is currently set to prevent him from playing in Pittsburgh's Week 17 game against the Cleveland Browns and its regular-season finale against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18.
"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.
Video showed Metcalf approaching a male fan wearing a blue wig in the front row at Ford Field, grabbing him by the shirt and then swiping upward. It was unclear if Metcalf struck the fan.
Pelissero reported earlier Monday that Metcalf and the fan, whom The Detroit Free Press identified as Ryan Kennedy, have a history. Per Pelissero, Metcalf reported the same fan to Seahawks security last season when he played for Seattle (the Seahawks played at the Lions in Week 4 of the 2024 season and also played at Detroit in 2022 and 2023).
A source close to Metcalf told Pelissero that Kennedy on Sunday called Metcalf's mother a derogatory word and called Metcalf "something we both know you don't call a Black man."
On Monday, Kennedy issued a statement through an attorney that "at no point before, during, or after the incident did Mr. Kennedy use racial slurs or hate speech of any kind."
"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 Dec. 21, 2025 at Ford Field during the Pittsburgh Steelers-Detroit Lions game," the statement read, via ESPN. "These allegations are completely false."
Kennedy told the Free Press on Sunday that Metcalf was upset that he used his full legal name.
The incident occurred during the Steelers' 29-24 win, but as Metcalf was not flagged for the incident, which took place off the field of play, he was not ejected.
Metcalf finished the game with four receptions for 42 yards and has 59 catches for 850 yards and six touchdowns in his first year with the Steelers. Metcalf was acquired via trade this offseason from the Seattle Seahawks.
Since he was drafted by Seattle in the second round in 2019, Metcalf has a history of drawing unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike penalties. This year, Metcalf has been fined twice. In Week 13 he was fined $14,491 for an obscene gesture and in Week 8, he was fined $12,172 for "striking/kicking/kneeing" after he poked his finger in the facemask of Green Bay Packers linebacker Quay Walker with his left hand and then grabbed Walker's facemask with his right.
