Steelers Rumors: Metcalf, Jones, Draft

As the Steelers fought down the final stretch of the season last year in a race for the AFC North, an altercation from the team’s trip to Detroit forced them to finish the regular season without leading wide receiver D.K. Metcalf. In the first half a game against the Lions, Metcalf was caught on video grabbing then releasing the shirt of a fan in the stands in an aggressive manner. According to Christian Romo of the Detroit Free Press, Metcalf will avoid any charges as a result of the incident.

No flags had been thrown when the incident occurred, and the Steelers never took action to discipline Metcalf, but the veteran receiver lost an appeal of his two-game suspension. He reportedly had a history with the fan, having reported them to security the year before when he had visited as a Seahawk. Per Romo, the Detroit prosecutor’s office relayed that “police submitted a warrant request…but didn’t confirm who the warrant was for,” adding that “no charges were filed at the onset of the investigation,” and none will be levied against Metcalf following the conclusion of the investigation.

Here are a couple other rumors coming out of the Steel City:

• The Steelers declined the fifth-year option for offensive tackle Broderick Jones at the turn of the month, and while it seemed like a likely outcome based on his struggles over the first three years of his career, ESPN’s Brooke Pryor suggested that the outcome may have been different had Jones not gotten injured at the end of the 2025 season. Jones had to undergo neck surgery after missing the final six games of the regular season, and Pryor claims Pittsburgh “would’ve been much more likely” to pick up Jones’ option had the neck injury not complicated the team’s decision.
• During the 2026 NFL Draft, the broadcast showed a moment of levity as the Steelers reportedly called USC wide receiver prospect Makai Lemon before they were on the clock just for the Eagles to trade up one spot past them and draft the receiver right in front of them. According to Jake Rosenberg, a former Eagles front office executive who now works in consulting for collegiate programs and representation for physicians who practice on athletes, Pittsburgh’s actions may have violated a rule that restricts teams from talking to prospects or their representatives while not on the clock if it interferes “with the discussions between a player and the club that is ‘on the clock.'” Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk reached out to the league about the rule and received a response that the NFL “reviews all aspects of the Draft the week after its conclusion.” It seemed, though, as if the incident were an innocent mistake, until Mike Sando of The Athletic reported yesterday that some team executives have “suggested this is not the first time Pittsburgh has called a prospect early.” There appears to be suspicion the practice could be a strategy for learning who a team is drafting when they are told they must hang up for the team “on the clock” to be able to reach the prospect. It will be interesting to see if the league’s review of events concludes that the Steelers operated outside the rules.