DK Metcalf won't face criminal charges for altercation with Lions fan

Nick Brinkerhoff, USA TODAYFri, May 1, 2026 at 10:02 PM UTC

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DK Metcalf won't face criminal charges for altercation with Lions fan

Pittsburgh Steelers receiver DK Metcalf won't face criminal charges following an altercation with a Detroit Lions fan at Ford Field, Wayne County Prosecutors announced in a statement on May 1.

The incident occurred during the second quarter of the Lions' game on Dec. 21. It involved Metcalf taking a swing at Ryan Kennedy, a Lions fan, behind the Steelers bench. The altercation resulted in the receiver being suspended for the final two games of the regular season and later became the motivation behind Kennedy's lawsuit filed on Feb. 3.

Prosecutors concluded they will not charge Metcalf after reviewing the evidence, which they told the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, in a statement.

"At approximately 5:30 p.m., it is alleged that [Kennedy] left his seat holding a Metcalf jersey to get an autograph. As he approached the front railing of the stands, he said something to Mr. Metcalf. As Mr. Metcalf approached the stands, there was a brief interaction where Mr. Metcalf grabbed his shirt and pushed him back. The fan did not appear to be injured, nor did he seek medical attention at the game," the statement read.

"After an extensive review of all the relevant evidence, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office has determined that charges will not issue in this case."

Metcalf's attorney, Mitch Schuster, provided a statement to ESPN's Adam Schefter following the news:

“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," Schuster said in the statement. "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.”

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While the prosecutors declined to press charges, the civil lawsuit filed by Kennedy remains ongoing.

"I think a reasonable person upon seeing the video would consider that an assault and/or a battery under the criminal law," Kennedy's lawyer, Jonathan R. Marko, told the Free Press. He added that it was "not surprising" the prosecutor wouldn't press charges because it would cost the office "tremendous resources."

Kennedy's lawsuit named Metcalf, the Steelers, former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson, Ford Field management and several media platforms for what he alleges is their role in making "defamatory and life altering statements" about him after the incident.

The Free Press spoke to Kennedy after the incident occurred. At the time, he told the publication he had called Metcalf by his full name, "DeKaylin Zecharius Metcalf," which irked the wide receiver.

"He doesn’t like his government name," Kennedy said. "I called him that and then he grabbed me and ripped my shirt. I’m a little shocked. Like everyone’s talking to me. I’m a little rattled, but I just want the Lions to win, baby."

The situation took a turn the following day during an episode of the "Nightcap" podcast with Johnson and Shannon Sharpe. Johnson said that Metcalf told him Kennedy had used a racial slur against Metcalf and a misogynistic slur aimed at the wide receiver's mother.

Kennedy denied those allegations at a press conference regarding the incident on Dec. 26.

The fan is seeking $100 million in damages as well as a "full public retraction and correction of defamatory statements" from Johnson and Sharpe.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DK Metcalf cleared of criminal charges from altercation with Lions fan

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