After an investigation by Detroit police, no costs can be filed in opposition to Pittsburgh Steelers WR DK Metcalf for his role in final year’s incident with a Detroit Lions fan.
“The fan did no longer appear like injured, nor did he gaze medical consideration at the sport,” Detroit’s prosecution’s office acknowledged, as shared by reporter Niraj Warikoo.
No costs can be filed in opposition to Steelers player DeKaylin Metcalf for incident with a Lions fan at sport in Detroit in December, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Great’s office introduced recently. “The fan did not appear to be injured, nor did he seek medical attention at the game,” the…
— Niraj Warikoo (@nwarikoo) Would possibly per chance perchance additionally 1, 2026
As of February, police acknowledged the investigation change into once ongoing and a warrant interrogate change into once issued in January. In the ruin, the prosecutor didn’t safe ample evidence to fee Metcalf with against the law.
DK Metcalf is no longer going to face costs following a fan interplay staunch thru a Detroit Lions vs. Pittsburgh Steelers sport at Ford Discipline, in step with the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. Investigators reviewed multiple video angles and interviewed witnesses after a Lions fan approached…
— NewMediaAmerica (@NewMediaAmerica) Would possibly per chance perchance additionally 1, 2026
UPDATE (4:43 PM): Mitch Schuster, prison official representing Metcalf, equipped the next assertion referring to Friday’s news that Metcalf would no longer be criminally charged.
“The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office has declined to raise costs in opposition to DeKaylin Metcalf connected to the incident titillating Ryan Kennedy on December 21, 2025. We applaud the resolution and are thankful for the exhausting work and thorough investigation that led to this good consequence.
“We are assured that justice will also prevail within the civil sing titillating Mr. Kennedy. As Mr. Metcalf’s counterclaim within the civil case makes particular, Mr. Kennedy’s abominate-fueled conduct has no space wherever, and in particular no longer in official sports.”
Final December, Metcalf approached a fan within the stands staunch thru the Steelers-Lions sport. The 2 exchanged words and received into an altercation with Metcalf making contact with the fan. Officials missed the action in valid time, however the NFL suspended Metcalf for the final two games of the regular season. He returned for Pittsburgh’s Wild Card sport in opposition to the Houston Texans.
The fan, later identified as Ryan Kennedy, filed a $100 million civil lawsuit in opposition to Metcalf. He’s claimed damage to his reputation after Chad Johnson and others acknowledged Metcalf told them Metcalf’s actions were prompted by Kennedy using racial slurs in opposition to him. Kennedy has denied the sing. The 2 had a connected incident in 2024 that change into once published after 2025’s altercation. In that first case, Kennedy change into once accused of making derogatory comments toward Metcalf.
That case remains ongoing with a internet site convention scheduled for later this month.
Earlier this year, our Ross McCorkle spoke with an prison official to chat about if Kennedy’s case had any likelihood of success.
This offseason, the NFL changed its principles to allow for incidents equivalent to Metcalf’s to be reviewed even if originally missed by officers. Below the new language, Metcalf would possibly well seemingly perchance’ve been penalized and ejected mid-sport.
Metcalf’s suspension set up him inclined to dropping guarantees in his contract. However, Jay Glazer reported that Pittsburgh opted in opposition to penalizing Metcalf in such sort.
Metcalf is entering his 2d season with the Steelers after being bought in a March 2025 alternate from the Seattle Seahawks. He caught 59 passes for 850 yards and 6 touchdowns in his first year with the group.
