A new report offers up more details on why DK Metcalf’s decision to get physical with a fan during the Pittsburgh Steelers big win on Sunday was a boneheaded move of epic proportions.
This weekend, the Steelers continued their recent hot streak by traveling to Detroit and securing a big upset win against the Lions. The victory — their third straight — moved their record to 9-6 and put them in a great position to land a playoff spot in the final weeks of the season.
However, the huge road win has been overshadowed by the mind-boggling decision of veteran receiver DK Metcalf. During the game, the two-time Pro Bowler went to the stands and confronted a fan who was getting on his last nerve. He grabbed the fan, traded some words up close, and seemed to give the individual a punch to the shoulder.
The altercation was a hot topic in NFL circles in the hours following, and many wondered what the penalty could be after video of the incident went viral. That was revealed on Monday, when the league announced they had suspended the pass catcher for the final two games of the season. It’s a decision he can appeal to one game.
However, while he may get one of those games back, it seems he won’t be able to avoid the loss of a whole bunch of money. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, “the suspension would void not just the rest of his salary for this season but $45M in future guarantees — $25M fully guaranteed in 2026 and $20M guarantee for injury in 2027.”
Could the PIT Steelers Cut DK Metcalf After the Season?
In the offseason, after acquiring him in a trade, the Steelers gave the seven-year veteran a sizable four-year contract extension worth $132 million. The hope was that the 28-year-old could help fill the void after they traded away talented big-play receiver George Pickens in the spring.
While he is unlikely to match the numbers he put up during his Pro Bowl seasons, he has proven to be Aaron Rodgers‘ favorite target by far and has been Pittsburgh’s top receiver by a lot. Leading the team in receiving yards (850) and touchdowns (6). But his silly infraction does allow the team to move on from him if there were any locker room issues fans didn’t know about.
He is set to make over $20 million the next three years and $30.5 in 2029. The Steelers may feel it might be higher than they prefer for a player hovering around 1,000 yards receiving per season. Teams are always looking to save money, and Metcalf opened the door wide for them to save a bunch after his fan altercation.
However, considering how valuable he has been to the team, they are very unlikely to cut him. But one has to wonder if they might use the threat to see if they can slash a lot off of those future guarantees.
