Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver D.K. Metcalf will have a little lighter wallet this week.
The NFL announced its Week 4 fines Saturday afternoon. The Steelers wideout received a fine for a taunting penalty officials called against him versus the Cleveland Browns on Thursday, October 1. The fine amount was $11,941.
Video of the offense that led to the fine circled on social media Saturday shortly after the league’s announcement. Steelers Now’s Alan Saunders was one insider who posted a short video clip of the incident.
“Metcalf was also flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct on the play, when he tossed the ball at two Cleveland defenders,” wrote Saunders.
Metcalf was the only Steelers player to receive a fine from Week 4. The team lost at the end of regulation to the Browns 27-24.
Four Browns players received fines from the game — quarterback Deshaun Watson, running back Quinshon Judkins, offensive tackle Austin Barber and defensive end Adin Huntington.
Watson and Judkins received higher fine amounts than Metcalf.
Steelers’ D.K. Metcalf Fined for Taunting Browns on Thursday Night Football
Metcalf should know better than to spin a football in the faces of defenders. But as Steelers fans have seen in the past, the veteran receiver has a quick temper and explodes in a negative way at times.
At least versus the Browns, Metcalf made up for it on the stat sheet. The receiver had his best game of the young season Thursday night, posting five catches for 115 yards. He did that with nine targets, and his longest reception went for a 43-yard gain.
Metcalf committed his taunting penalty after hauling in a 7-yard gain on third-and-3 on Pittsburgh’s first offensive possession. Because he converted the third-down attempt, the Steelers still faced first-and-10 after Metcalf’s penalty. But the Steelers had the ball at their own 35-yard line instead of the 50.
Fortunately for Pittsburgh, the Browns committed an illegal contact penalty on the next snap. That gave the Steelers another first down.
Pittsburgh drove 78 yards on 17 plays on the possession where Metcalf committed the taunting penalty. The Steelers capped off the drive with a 12-yard Roman Wilson touchdown catch.
The Steelers signed Metcalf to a 4-year, $132 million contract extension in March 2025. So, roughly $12,000 is a drop in the bucket for the receiver.
In four games this season, he has 16 catches for 213 yards and one touchdown.
4 Browns Players Fined in Week 4 Matchup vs. Steelers
While Metcalf received a notable fine, the Browns had significantly more fines, including two that were more expensive.
Watson and Judkins each received fines for illegal celebrations and vulgar acts. Watson’s fine was nearly $15,000 while Judkins’s was just shy of $14,400.
NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported each player received those fines for a celebration that included a smoking gesture.
“Nothing was obvious on the TV broadcast, but source said it was a ‘smoking gesture after Judkins’ TD last week,” wrote Pelissero on X.
Barber also received a fine for illegal celebrations and vulgar acts, but the punishment is about $7,000.
Huntington’s fine fell into the unnecessary roughness category. The league punished him $5,620 for a hip-drop tackle.
Steelers’ D.K. Metcalf Gets NFL Punishment for Week 4 Taunting Penalty