After an investigation by Detroit police, no charges will be filed against Pittsburgh Steelers WR DK Metcalf for his role in last year’s incident with a Detroit Lions fan.
“The fan did not appear to be injured, nor did he seek medical attention at the game,” Detroit’s prosecution’s office said, as shared by reporter Niraj Warikoo.
No charges will be filed against Steelers player DeKaylin Metcalf for incident with a Lions fan at game in Detroit in December, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy’s office announced today. “The fan did not appear to be injured, nor did he seek medical attention at the game,” the…
— Niraj Warikoo (@nwarikoo) May 1, 2026
As of February, police said the investigation was ongoing and a warrant request was issued in January. Ultimately, the prosecutor didn’t find enough evidence to charge Metcalf with a crime.
DK Metcalf will not face charges following a fan interaction during a Detroit Lions vs. Pittsburgh Steelers game at Ford Field, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. Investigators reviewed multiple video angles and interviewed witnesses after a Lions fan approached…
— NewMediaAmerica (@NewMediaAmerica) May 1, 2026
UPDATE (4:43 PM): Mitch Schuster, attorney representing Metcalf, offered the following statement regarding Friday’s news that Metcalf would not be criminally charged.
“The Wayne County Prosecutor’s 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.
“We are confident that justice will also prevail in the civil claim involving Mr. Kennedy. As Mr. Metcalf’s counterclaim in the civil case makes clear, Mr. Kennedy’s hate-fueled conduct has no place anywhere, and especially not in professional sports.”
Last December, Metcalf approached a fan in the stands during the Steelers-Lions game. The two exchanged words and got into an altercation with Metcalf making contact with the fan. Officials missed the action in real time, but the NFL suspended Metcalf for the final two games of the regular season. He returned for Pittsburgh’s Wild Card game against the Houston Texans.
The fan, later identified as Ryan Kennedy, filed a $100 million civil lawsuit against Metcalf. He’s claimed damage to his reputation after Chad Johnson and others said Metcalf told them Metcalf’s actions were prompted by Kennedy using racial slurs against him. Kennedy has denied the claim. The two had a similar incident in 2024 that was revealed after 2025’s altercation. In that first case, Kennedy was accused of making derogatory comments toward Metcalf.
That case remains ongoing with a status conference scheduled for later this month.
Earlier this year, our Ross McCorkle spoke with an attorney to discuss if Kennedy’s case had any chance of success.
This offseason, the NFL changed its rules to allow for incidents similar to Metcalf’s to be reviewed even if initially missed by officials. Under the new language, Metcalf could’ve been penalized and ejected mid-game.
Metcalf’s suspension put him at risk of losing guarantees in his contract. However, Jay Glazer reported that Pittsburgh opted against penalizing Metcalf in such fashion.
Metcalf is entering his second season with the Steelers after being acquired in a March 2025 trade from the Seattle Seahawks. He caught 59 passes for 850 yards and six touchdowns in his first year with the team.