CBS Sports
DK Metcalf may have cost himself a ton of money for punching a fan.
Over the weekend, an angry Metcalf walked up to a Lions fan in the stands and threw a punch.
DK Metcalf appears to have an altercation with a Detroit fan pic.twitter.com/a478Zjg3tR
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 21, 2025
Metcalf claims the fan used a racial slur to provoke him, which the fan denies.
On Monday, the NFL announced that it had suspended Metcalf for two games for the interaction with the fan.
The NFL has announced that Steelers WR DK Metcalf has been suspended two games without pay for his interaction with a fan during Sunday’s game at Detroit.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) December 22, 2025
According to CBS Sports, Metcalf has a clause in his contract that voids future guaranteed money, worth nearly $40 million, if he ever gets suspended.
Via CBS Sports
The two-game suspension for what the NFL terms “conduct detrimental” to the league now voids at least $45 million in future guaranteed money for the Pittsburgh Steelers receiver. Metcalf would still be able to earn that money over the next two years.
His four-year, $132 million contract from March, reviewed by CBS Sports, notes that if he “fails… to practice or play with the Club for any reason,” which includes “Player’s suspension by the NFL or Club for Conduct Detrimental,” his guarantees “will be NULL AND VOID.”
Metcalf plans to appeal the suspension, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Here’s another angle of the altercation between DK Metcalf and Lions fan Ryan Kennedy, who is seen moving down from his seat to the front row in order to confront Metcalf — one of several videos that are likely to be part of the appeal. https://t.co/TyNKlHYE9l pic.twitter.com/Q3iS3FqcDt
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 22, 2025