Detroit Lions Fan Denies Using Racial Slur After DK Metcalf Shoves Him During Game Versus Pittsburgh Steelers
Written by b87fm on 12/23/2025
An on-field confrontation involving Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf and a Detroit Lions fan sparked widespread reaction online Sunday, after video footage captured a tense exchange during the game.
In the circulating clip, Metcalf is seen grabbing a fan—later identified as Ryan Kennedy—by the collar and shoving him backward before returning to the field. The fan was wearing a blue wig and standing near the sideline seats.
According to Pro Football Talk, the encounter was not an isolated incident. Multiple sources say Metcalf had previously reported Kennedy to Seahawks security during past games in Detroit while Metcalf was still with Seattle. One source close to the player alleged that Kennedy directed a derogatory remark toward Metcalf’s mother and used a racial slur.
“Something we both know you don’t call a Black man,” the source said.
Former NFL wide receiver Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson echoed those claims during a live episode of the Nitecap podcast, while acknowledging the league’s strict standards regarding player conduct.
“I’m not condoning putting your hands on a fan,” Johnson said. “But he did call him a racial slur. He called him the N-word and called his mom a c—t. That’s a bad combination of words, and it caused DK to react. The NFL is still going to discipline him, but I understand.”
The situation took another turn Monday when Kennedy, through attorneys Shawn Head and Sean Murphy of Head Murphy Law Firm, denied all allegations of racial or misogynistic language.
“These allegations are completely false,” the statement read.
Kennedy told the Detroit Free Press that he only addressed Metcalf by his full name, DeKaylin Zecharius Metcalf, which he claims triggered the reaction.
“I called him that, and then he grabbed me and ripped my shirt,” Kennedy said. “I’m a little shocked. I just want the Lions to win.”
Kennedy was not removed from the stadium, and Metcalf remained in the game as the Steelers defeated the Lions. However, according to NFL Media, Metcalf will be suspended without pay for the team’s final two games for his role in the incident.
The fan involved in the DK Metcalf incident has issued a statement through his attorney, denying accusations that he used racial slurs or misogynistic language.
Footage obtained by Preme Sports appears to back him up. In the video, Kennedy is only heard saying Metcalf’s full… pic.twitter.com/VL4yYJ76i1
— Preme Football (@premefootball) December 22, 2025
Footage later released by Preme Sports appears to support Kennedy’s account, capturing him saying Metcalf’s full name without audible slurs. The incident was referenced during CBS’s live broadcast, with sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson noting that Metcalf reacted to something said by a fan holding a Pittsburgh No. 4 jersey.
As the league reviews the matter, the clash has reignited conversations around fan behavior, player accountability, and the blurred line between trash talk and provocation inside NFL stadiums.
