The Wayne County Prosecutor\u2019s Office also denied a request for a warrant.<\/p>\n
“On December 21, 2025, during an NFL<\/a> football game at Ford Field, located in the 2000 block of Brush Street in Detroit, a 45-year-old male\u00a0Lions fan, was seated in the stands behind the Pittsburgh Steelers’\u00a0bench, allegedly heckling player DeKaylin Metcalf, 28,” the announcement said.\u00a0<\/p>\n “At approximately 5:30 p.m., it is alleged that the fan left his seat holding a Metcalf jersey to get an\u00a0autograph.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON <\/a>FOXNEWS.COM<\/a><\/p>\n DK Metcalf of the Pittsburgh Steelers before a preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa., Aug. 16, 2025. (Joe Sargent\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n “As he approached the front railing of the stands, he\u00a0said something to Mr. Metcalf. As Mr. Metcalf\u00a0approached the stands,\u00a0there was a brief interaction where Mr. Metcalf grabbed his shirt and pushed him back. The fan did not appear to be injured, nor did he seek medical attention at the game.”<\/p>\n The Wayne County Prosecutor\u2019s Office said the fan, Ryan Kennedy, security staff and people in attendance were all interviewed, and video footage was reviewed from various angles. After an extensive review, it opted not to charge Metcalf.<\/p>\n Kennedy filed a $100 million lawsuit<\/a> that names Metcalf, the\u00a0Pittsburgh Steelers and Ford Field, the Lions\u2019 stadium, Chad Johnson and Shannon Sharpe as defendants.<\/p>\n The filing outlines nine counts, including negligence against Ford Field and multiple defamation claims against Metcalf, Johnson and Sharpe’s Shay Shay Media.<\/p>\n ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!<\/a><\/p>\n Detroit Lions fan Ryan Kennedy holds a news conference at the Head Murphy Law office in Farmington Hills, Mich., Dec. 26, 2025, discussing the fan-involved altercation with Pittsburgh Steelers player DK Metcalf. (Ryan Garza\/USA Today Network)<\/p>\n Kennedy\u2019s lawyer, Jon Marko, told Fox News Digital the lack of criminal charges for Metcalf is irrelevant for their civil case. He cited the prosecutor\u2019s lack of resources for not charging Metcalf.<\/p>\n “The prosecutor’s decision is completely irrelevant to our case, our civil case,” Marko told Fox News Digital. “You know, prosecutors\u2019 offices, especially busy prosecutors\u2019 offices and major metropolitan areas like Detroit, have priorities when making charging decisions. And they have a very limited amount of resources that they can use, and they use those resources to go after the most egregious crimes, such as homicides and things of that nature.\u00a0<\/p>\n “I mean, in this case, clearly, the video shows what I believe to be an assault and battery. Any reasonable person looking at it, I think, would see the same thing.<\/p>\n “This was out in public. There was numerous witnesses, and it was on a video, but I think that just the expense and resources necessary to prosecute this misdemeanor assault and battery \u2026 was most likely what led the prosecutor’s office to decide not to charge, not the idea that the crime did not commit, was not committed. So, it’s irrelevant for us whether the prosecutor charged or not. We’re gonna still be seeking full justice for the assault and battery through our civil case.”<\/p>\n Mitch Schuster of Meister Seelig & Schuster, the attorney for Metcalf, applauded the decision to drop the criminal charges.<\/p>\n COLTS DECLINE ANTHONY RICHARDSON’S FIFTH-YEAR OPTION, SETTING FORMER NO. 4 OVERALL PICK UP FOR FREE AGENCY<\/a><\/p>\n DK Metcalf of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs during a game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich., on Dec. 21, 2025. (Nic Antaya\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n “The Wayne County Prosecutor\u2019s Office has declined to bring charges against DeKaylin Metcalf related to the incident involving Ryan Kennedy on December 21, 2025. We applaud the decision and are thankful for the hard work and thorough investigation that led to this just result.<\/p>\n \u00a0“We are confident that justice will also prevail in the civil claim involving Mr. Kennedy. As Mr. Metcalf\u2019s counterclaim in the civil case makes clear, Mr. Kennedy\u2019s hate-fueled conduct has no place anywhere and especially not in professional sports.”<\/p>\n Metcalf was suspended two games by the NFL for the incident.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/a><\/p>\n Detroit Lions fan Ryan Kennedy sits with attorneys Sean Murphy and Shawn Head at the Head Murphy Law office in Farmington Hills, Mich., Dec. 26, 2025, discussing the fan-involved altercation with Pittsburgh Steelers player DK Metcalf. (Ryan Garza\/USA Today Network)<\/p>\n Metcalf was\u00a0shown by a CBS broadcast grabbing a fan by the shirt and taking a swing at him. The NFL Network reported that the fan made derogatory comments toward the 28-year-old. Kennedy later denied the allegation.<\/p>\n Kennedy told The\u00a0Detroit Free Press<\/a> he was heckling Metcalf by calling him by his full name.<\/p>\n Fox News Digital reached out to Metcalf’s agent for comment but did not immediately hear back.<\/p>\n Follow Fox News Digital\u2019s sports coverage on X<\/a>, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Ryan Canfield is a digital production assistant for Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n![\"DK](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/dk-metcalf-reaction.jpg\")
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