Steelers Wide Receiver DK Metcalf Punches Lions Fan During Sideline Altercation

NEED TO KNOW

• DK Metcalf was involved in an altercation with a fan during the Steelers-Lions game on Sunday, Dec. 21
• Footage showed the Steelers wide receiver, 28, having a tense conversation with a Lions fan before grabbing the fan's shirt and swinging a closed fist toward his face
• An NFL source told NBC Sports that the league will look into the altercation on Monday, Dec. 22

DK Metcalf was involved in a physical altercation with a fan during this weekend's Steelers-Lions game.

During the Sunday, Dec. 21, matchup between Pittsburgh and Detroit, the Steelers wide receiver, 28, was seen having a tense conversation with a Lions fan wearing a bright blue wig during the second quarter.

A CBS broadcast showed the fan leaning over the barrier as he spoke to Metcalf, who was on the field during the interaction.

As the two had what appeared to be a tense exchange, Metcalf could be seen grabbing the fan's T-shirt before quickly reaching up with his right fist closed, seemingly landing a punch on the fan's face. The fan then threw his arms up in the air, the broadcast showed, and commentator Jim Nantz said in the clip, "Not gonna have great consequences for the Steelers and Metcalf."

DK Metcalf appears to have an altercation with a Detroit fan pic.twitter.com/a478Zjg3tR

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 21, 2025

Following the brief incident, an NFL source told NBC Sports that the league will look into the altercation on Monday, Dec. 22.

According to the source, similar incidents that have taken place between fans and NFL players have often resulted in fines.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters after the game that he heard about the altercation but had not seen the footage.

"I haven't had an opportunity to talk to DK, so I have no comment," Tomlin said, per ESPN.

The Detroit Free Press spoke to the fan moments after the incident, and when asked what his name was, he quipped, "My name is 'Biggest Detroit Lions Fan Ever That Got Attacked by DeKaylin Zecharius Metcalf.' "

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The fan then said his name was Ryan Kennedy and shared that he was from Pinckney, Mich.

“What, my full name isn’t is DeKaylin Zecharius Metcalf," Kennedy told the outlet. "He doesn’t like his government name. I called him that, and then he grabbed me and ripped my shirt. I’m a little shocked. Like everyone’s talking to me. I’m a little rattled, but I just want the Lions to win, baby."

The NFL told the Free Press in a statement it could not intervene for an ejection of Metcalf, and he was not removed from Sunday's game — which ended in a 29-24 win for the Steelers.

“There was no flag on the field, so New York cannot weigh in with regard to a potential disqualification,” the NFL told the outlet.

Once the league takes a closer look at video of the incident and considers the relevant factors — such as the fact that Metcalf may have initiated contact with the fan — they could choose to impose a punishment on Metcalf.

A similar incident took place earlier this season when Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson got into an altercation with a fan in Buffalo after he appeared to reach out over a first-row railing and slapped wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins on the helmet before pushing Jackson in the face.

During the September incident, Jackson, 28, shoved back at the fan and knocked him over backwards before his teammates intervened and the Ravens players returned to their bench. He later apologized, saying, "I wasn't even thinking about me being out there on the field. My apologies to him."

One day after the incident went down, a spokesperson from the league confirmed to NBC News that the fan who pushed Hopkins, 33, and Jackson has been banned from attending all NFL games, as well as NFL events such as the Super Bowl, the draft and the draft combine.

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