Steelers are furious with Roger Goodell and NFL officials amid critical situation

The Pittsburgh Steelers are facing a ton of adversity down the stretch of the regular season. 

The team is coming off a disappointing loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 17, and all the Steelers had to do was win the game to claim the division title. Pittsburgh squandered that opportunity, and now the winner of the AFC North is going to come down to the Week 18 matchup between the Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens. Unfortunately for the Steelers, DK Metcalf won't be allowed to play in this game, just like he wasn't allowed to play against the Browns.

Metcalf got himself into some trouble after getting into an altercation with a fan behind Pittsburgh's bench while the team was visiting to play the Detroit Lions. The wide receiver was eventually suspended for two games. Metcalf appealed that decision, but the decision was upheld after an additional hearing. 

Steelers upset regarding not receiving warning about fan beforehand

Fans were upset about this, and so is the organization. Team insider Gerry Dulac recently revealed in a story for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the Steelers are upset with the league and the Lions for not taking the appropriate measures to prevent something like this from happening.

"The Steelers remain upset that the NFL and Detroit Lions did not alert them before the game about the incident between Metcalf and the same fan a year earlier when Metcalf was with the Seattle Seahawks," Dulac wrote. "Had they done so, additional procedures could have been put in place — by the league, Lions or Steelers — to prevent what ultimately recurred. It probably did not sit well with them either, that Metcalf’s appeals hearing was handled by a one-time division rival in former Browns coach Chris Palmer, who was appointed by the league."

It was revealed after the fact that Metcalf had filed a grievance with the NFL regarding the same fan that he got into an altercation with just a year earlier while he was in Detroit as a member of the Seattle Seahawks. This was not shared with the Steelers, and if it had been, then the team could have made sure to have additional security behind the bench, or even a few staffers intentionally watching Metcalf to make sure nothing would happen.

Metcalf took the necessary steps to avoid an incident like what happened in Detroit. His actions are still inexcusable, but he allowed the league and the Lions to keep something like this from happening. The Steelers were not made aware of the previous incident, and the Lions did not seem to do anything to keep something else from happening. 

In addition to the Steelers being mad at the league over the way things were handled on the sideline, Pittsburgh also has a right to be upset with how Metcalf's appeal hearing was handled. The league appointed Chris Palmer as the one to be in charge of the hearing. 

Palmer used to be the head coach of the Browns, who Pittsburgh happened to be playing the next week. He was not a very successful head coach, but he is remembered fondly due to his being the head coach when the team "returned" to Cleveland in 1999.

DK Metcalf could face an offseason full of guilt

The Steelers could be mad at the league and the Lions for everything that happened, but Metcalf let his rage take over, and it ultimately got him into trouble. Pittsburgh was primed for a spot in the playoffs, but that is not the case anymore. 

His presence was clearly missed in Cleveland on Sunday, and the Steelers will certainly be missing him when the team hosts Baltimore on Sunday Night Football in Week 18. If the Steelers lose and can't make the playoffs, Metcalf will be carrying around a lot of guilt with him throughout the 2026 offseason.