Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver D.K. Metcalf‘s offseason just got a whole lot more interesting. After an altercation with a fan at Ford Field in Detroit back in December caused him to miss the final two games of the regular season, Metcalf is now being sued by the fan, Ryan Kennedy, for assault and battery.
Kennedy’s lawsuit doesn’t end with Metcalf however; his filed lawsuit also includes the Steelers for their liability in the incident, and former NFL players Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, who claimed on their podcast that Kennedy said racist and misogynistic slurs during the incident.
Kennedy denies these claims, and is suing Sharpe and Johnson for defamation causing personal and professional harm. Sharpe and Johnson’s podcast clips were picked up my many major networks like ESPN and USA Today.
All in all, Kennedy is seeking $100 million in damages from all parties. Metcalf, Sharpe, Johnson, and the Steelers haven’t publicly responded to the lawsuit as of Feb. 4.
Metcalf and Others Being Sued For Incident
The incident itself occurred on Dec. 21, when the Steelers traveled to Detroit to take on the Lions. Pittsburgh won the game 29-24 despite being underdogs of more than a touchdown leading into the game. The incident occurred in the second quarter of the game, and Metcalf wasn’t disciplined during the game by on-field officials or his own coaches. He finished the game with four catches and 42 receiving yards.
The incident started and finished pretty quickly. Kennedy was leaning over the railing behind the Steelers bench and clearly saying something to Metcalf, though audio hasn’t been captured as to what he was saying.
Metcalf walked towards Kennedy and grabbed the blue wig he was wearing, yanking it downwards. He then threw a jab up towards Kennedy, seemingly without making contact with his face.
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Kennedy was not asked to leave the game either. According to his statement, Ford Field security allowed him to continue watching the game.
In addition to seeking damages against Metcalf, Sharpe, Johnson, and the Steelers, Kennedy is also seeking court-ordered public retractions to clear his name from the situation.
Metcalf Served Two Game Suspension at End of Season
When he was back in the Steelers practice facility and available for media, Metcalf was asked about the incident. He clarified that he couldn’t talk about the situation at all with media. Whether that was the team telling him to remain silent or a legal advisor is still unclear.
No party involved on the defendant side of the lawsuit has publicly made any statement about the incident.
Metcalf’s two game suspension for the incident was served in the final two games of the regular season, when Pittsburgh lost at Cleveland and then beat the Baltimore Ravens at home to clinch their spot in the playoffs.
Metcalf was sorely missed against the Browns, as the Steelers put up just six points in the loss, making the final game against Baltimore a “win-and-in” scenario. Pittsburgh got the job done without him, though they were ultimately trounced by the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round, 30-6,
That was Metcalf’s return to the field. He made just two catches for 42 yards in the losing effort.
D.K. Metcalf Fan Altercation Saga Takes New Turn as Lawsuit is Filed Against Steelers Star