Steelers coach Mike Tomlin shows support for star who took swing at Lions fan

Pittsburgh Steelers caput manager Mike Tomlin said helium supports prima wide receiver DK Metcalf, who was suspended for 2 games by the NFL for throwing a punch astatine a Detroit Lions instrumentality connected Sunday. 

Metcalf was shown by the CBS broadcast grabbing a instrumentality by the garment and taking a plaything astatine him. NFL Network reported that the instrumentality made derogatory comments toward the 28-year-old. The instrumentality aboriginal denied the allegation.

"He did explicate to maine wherefore helium did what helium did, and I surely don’t condone the behavior, but I enactment DK. And I truly don’t person a batch to adhd different than what I conscionable told you," Tomlin said during a property league connected Tuesday.

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Pittsburgh Steelers' DK Metcalf walks disconnected the tract aft an NFL shot crippled against the Detroit Lions successful Detroit, Michigan, connected Dec. 21, 2025. (Ryan Sun/AP Photo)

"I deliberation helium has a proceeding this day — an appeals hearing, and I surely don’t privation to measurement successful anterior to that, and surely I’ve heard much precocious that determination mightiness beryllium ineligible ramifications, and truthful I amended beryllium cautious astir what I accidental and however I accidental it. I’m definite you guys got a batch of questions. I recognize that, but that’s conscionable a posture I’m successful arsenic I beryllium present contiguous with truthful galore components of this happening yet to beryllium resolved."

Tomlin was asked if the Steelers hole for "volatile rhetoric." He said that’s unluckily go a portion of sports today. 

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Pittsburgh Steelers' DK Metcalf, right, plays against Detroit Lions' Rock Ya-Sin during the 2nd fractional of an NFL shot game, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, successful Detroit.  (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

"You know, I conscionable deliberation volatile rhetoric is simply a constituent of our concern today, unfortunately," Tomlin said. "It conscionable is. But not lone our concern — college, you know, youth-sport parents … I deliberation it’s conscionable a constituent of athletics that’s developed and developed successful a large mode successful caller years, and it’s unfortunate. But, really, I person thing to accidental astir the substance different than that."

Tomlin declined to elaborate further owed to the ineligible ramifications that could travel from the incident.

The fan, identified arsenic Ryan Kennedy, denied that helium made immoderate derogatory comments successful a connection done a Michigan instrumentality firm. Kennedy told the Detroit Free Press that helium was heckling Metcalf by calling him by his afloat name.

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Metcalf has been the team’s No. 1 wide receiver with 59 catches for 850 yards and six touchdowns successful 15 games this season. Tomlin mentioned Roman Wilson arsenic idiosyncratic who could measurement up successful Metcalf’s absence.

The Steelers play the Cleveland Browns (3-12) connected Sunday astatine 1 p.m. ET, and if the Steelers win, they clinch the AFC North. However, they mightiness person to bash it without Metcalf. 

Fox News' Ryan Gaydos and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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