NFL News

Home

Teams

Quizzes

Watch

Newsletter

Power Rankings

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf. Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Steelers WR DK Metcalf's history with Lions fan gets exposed after secret security information leaks

Originally posted on Steeler Nation
By Anthony G. Halkias II | Last updated Jan 1, 2026 8:03 AM ET

Pittsburgh Steelers superstar wide receiver DK Metcalf was brought to the Steel City to be a veteran leader, but unfortunately for the team, he is currently serving a two-game suspension. A lot of pundits have been harsh on Metcalf, and in some ways, rightfully so.

When Pittsburgh acquired him, the expectation was that he would set the tone both on and off the field, especially for a new offense trying to find consistency. Instead, the Steelers are now forced to move forward without one of their biggest offensive weapons at a critical point in the season.

Metcalf is in the middle of serving that two-game suspension stemming from an altercation with a Detroit Lions fan during Week 16. Shortly after the incident, rumors began circulating that the fan had used derogatory language toward Metcalf, which sparked widespread debate about whether the wide receiver was provoked. That narrative gained traction online, leaving many fans and analysts unsure of what actually happened inside the stadium.

However, according to Fox Sports insider Jay Glazer, Metcalf did take the proper steps before the incident back in 2024. Glazer reported that Metcalf identified the Lions fan, Ryan Kennedy, and alerted stadium security. Glazer later obtained details of the security communications from that 2024 matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and Lions, adding important context to the situation even though the suspension still stands.

We check in with @JayGlazer on DK Metcalf filing a complaint last year against the same Lions fan that he had an altercation with.

Also, Matt Ryan is in talks to rejoin the Falcons in a high-profile front office position. pic.twitter.com/4IuUGqqhsz
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 28, 2025

It’s unclear whether the fan said anything new this time, but Metcalf had a previous incident during the 2024 season when he was with the Seahawks. Glazer continued reading more of the report and sharing additional details.

"Obviously guys, we don't condone ever hitting a fan or anybody else, but in this, it says, 'When we investigated during the game, the individuals around corroborated that the fan was being out of line and had indeed said these derogatory statements," Glazer said. "They even asked us to remove [Kennedy].' The odd part of this also is that the Pittsburgh Steelers had no knowledge of this."

Kennedy, through his lawyers, has strongly denied ever using the remarks Metcalf accused him of, stating he has never made such comments in his 15 years as a Lions season-ticket holder. That assertion now faces renewed scrutiny in light of the 2024 incident, when a witness reportedly overheard derogatory language attributed to him.

Steelers' DK Metcalf has claims backed

While Glazer shared details from the security communications confirming that some inappropriate words were indeed used, he did not specify exactly what was said, leaving certain aspects unclear. This ambiguity makes it difficult to fully assess the situation, but it does cast a shadow over Kennedy’s prior denial.

As the story continues to unfold, questions remain about the incident. One thing is clear: Metcalf has hurt his team by being unavailable in Week 17’s loss and now in Week 18. He has no choice but to watch from the sidelines while the Steelers try to keep their playoff hopes alive with Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Scotty Miller and Adam Thielen.

This article first appeared on SteelerNation.com and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: