Pittsburgh Steelers star receiver DK Metcalf could be facing disciplinary trouble after appearing to aim a punch at a fan during his team’s 29-24 win over the Detroit Lions.
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The incident occurred during the second quarter, when Metcalf could be seen getting into an exchange with a Lions fan wearing a blue wig at Detroit’s Ford Field.
The confrontation ended with Metcalf apparently striking the fan with his fist before walking away.
The Detroit supporter did not appear to be hurt, and responded to Metcalf’s blow by raising his arms aloft in celebration.
It was not immediately clear what caused the confrontation, which rapidly went viral across social media.
“There are some things that fans will say to you that will get you out of character, but D.K., come on, man,” former NFL wide receiver Nate Burleson said on CBS.
“I don’t know the details, but you cannot let someone get into your head to the point you want to go over there, talk to them, grab them and then, what it looks like, throw a jab.”
The fan who Metcalf appeared to throw a punch at told The Detroit Free Press that the incident left him “a little shocked”.
“My words don’t matter because it was on camera,” he added.
The fan said they called Metcalf by his government name: DeKaylin Zecharius Metcalf.
“I called him that and then he grabbed me and ripped my shirt,” the fan said.
“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 incident echoed a flashpoint involving Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson earlier this season.
Jackson shoved a Buffalo Bills fan during a week one defeat. Jackson was not punished for that incident, which was initiated by the fan in question who was later ejected and banned from the Bills’ Highmark Stadium.
The Steelers ended up winning Monday’s game 29-24 in dramatic fashion, with Lions quarterback Jared Goff seemingly stealing the victory on the final play of the game.
Goff had linked with Amon Ra St. Brown on a fourth-down pass just short of the goal line and with only a few seconds left, Detroit’s top receiver then threw a lateral to his quarterback who scored.
What would have been the game-winning touchdown was rubbed off the board with the officials announcing offensive pass interference in the lead-up, seeing Pittsburgh get home.
Running back Jaylen Warren had two 45-yard touchdown runs in the win while the Lions combined for just 15 yards all up.
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PROMISING UPDATE AFTER SCARY SCENES FOR BRONCOS ROOKIE
Elsewhere, Broncos coach Sean Payton provided an “encouraging” update after rookie receiver Pat Bryant was carted off following a brutal hit in Denver’s 34-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Byrant took a hard hit from Jacksonville cornerback Montaric Brown on the penultimate play of the game, with players from both teams later surrounding the young playmaker before he was loaded into a cart and taken off the field to an ambulance.
In a promising update, KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis reported that Bryant was taken to a local hospital for concussion-like symptoms not neurological symptoms, while Payton later told reporters the rookie had “movement” in both his hands and legs.
“So as we know more, we’ll let you know,” he added.
It was a sour note to end a tough night for the Broncos, who entered Monday on an 11-game winning streak.
Jacksonville, however, has also been one of the league’s most in-form teams after blowing away the Jets last week, with quarterback Trevor Lawrence playing some of the best football of his career.
Lawrence completed 23 of 36 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns while adding another score on the ground.
CHIEFS’ BRUTAL INJURY DEJA-VU
The Chiefs may be down another quarterback.
Kansas City is now worried that quarterback Gardner Minshew tore his ACL when he had to exit their 26-9 loss to the Titans in the opening minute of the game, according to multiple reports.
Minshew will undergo further testing, meaning the Chiefs may have lost two quarterbacks to ACL tears in the span of as many games, after Patrick Mahomes’ season was cut short in their Week 15 loss to the Chargers.
Minshew went down on the third play of the game as he scrambled and fell to the ground.
The injury appeared to be a noncontact one, and he quickly grabbed his left knee.
He did attempt to remain in the game.
Minshew was spotted walking back to the Chiefs’ locker room in the second quarter with members of the medical staff, and he was eventually ruled out for the rest of the game at halftime.
He ended his day completing 3-of-8 passes for 15 yards, and third-string QB Chris Oladokun entered the game with 11 minutes left in the half while Minshew was being examined in the second quarter.
Minshew had been starting in place of Mahomes, who suffered a season-ending torn ACL against the Chargers last week. He has since undergone surgery to address the injury.
The Chiefs were eliminated from playoff contention in their loss to the Chargers, but the hope of trying to close out the regular season on some sort of positive note may have hit another snag with their backup potentially down for the count.
The Chiefs have two games left on their schedule, with Denver closing out the home portion of their schedule on Christmas Day and a trip to Las Vegas in Week 18 to face the Raiders. Oladokun would be in line to get the starts in those games.
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STANDOUT ROOKIE SUFFERS GRUESOME INJURY
Elsewhere, Browns rookie Quinshon Judkins suffered a gruesome injury in the second quarter of Monday’s game against the Bills, an incident that left the young running back in excruciating pain and forced him to be carted off the field.
It has also ended his season early, with Browns coach Kevin Stefanski revealing after the game that Judkins suffered a fractured fibula and dislocated ankle.
Judkins will need surgery, and he will be done for the year.
“Great teammate, runs hard, cares about this game, cares about the right things, so I’m disappointed for him,” Stefanski told reporters after the game. “He’s disappointed, but he’s not somebody I worry about. He’ll bounce back.”
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders told reporters that it was “sad” to see Judkins go down with the injury.
The scene unfolded when Judkins was making a catch behind the line of scrimmage and was tackled by Bills linebacker Matt Milano.
Judkins remained on his back after the play was ruled dead, and team medical staff quickly came out to tend to the injured Brown.
It appeared on the broadcast that his right leg was bending in the wrong way on the tackle, which was so unpleasant to see that CBS broadcaster Ian Eagle said on air the network would not show the replay of the injury.
Trainers put an air cast on Judkins’ leg after he was placed on a cart to be taken off the field.
The injury came just a few plays after Sanders had come back into the game after suffering a pinky finger issue.
Coming into the game, Judkins had 222 carries for 805 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
CHARGERS, BILLS EDGE CLOSE TO PLAYOFF BERTHS IN OTHER GAMES
In other news, Justin Herbert threw two touchdowns and rushed for another as the Los Angeles Chargers moved to the brink of the NFL playoffs with a 34-17 victory over the already-eliminated Dallas Cowboys.
Chargers quarterback Herbert produced a near flawless performance to set up a convincing win against a Cowboys team whose postseason hopes were snuffed out by Philadelphia’s win over Washington on Sunday.
Herbert finished with 300 passing yards from 23-of-29 attempts with no interceptions, and rushed for 42 yards including a third quarter touchdown.
The win left the Chargers with an 11-4 record in the AFC West, all but guaranteeing they will advance to the postseason.
The Chargers could wrap up a playoff berth if the Indianapolis Colts fail to beat the San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday.
In other early action on Monday, the faltering Tampa Bay Buccaneers stumbled to a 23-20 defeat on the road to the Carolina Panthers in a crucial NFC South divisional tussle.
The Panthers vaulted into first place in the division following the win, which leaves them with an 8-7 record with the Bucs second on 7-8.
The loss was another hammer blow for Tampa Bay, who have taken just one win from their last seven games to allow Carolina to edge past them in the divisional standings.
The Buffalo Bills also powered towards the playoffs with a 23-20 win over the Cleveland Browns.
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Bills quarterback Josh Allen had a quiet game with just 130 passing yards and no touchdowns from 12 completions.
Instead it was left to the Bills ground game to grind out victory, with running back James Cook rushing for two touchdowns and 117 yards to set up a win, which takes Buffalo to 11-4 for the season.
Buffalo can qualify for the playoffs if either Houston or Indianapolis fail to win their week 16 fixtures.
The Kansas City Chiefs, eliminated from postseason contention last week, endured another miserable afternoon with a lackluster showing in a 26-9 defeat to the Tennessee Titans (3-12) in Nashville.
The Chiefs’ defeat was compounded by an injury to back-up quarterback Gardner Minshew, who exited in the second quarter with what reports said was a possible anterior cruciate ligament tear.
Chiefs starting quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered an identical injury in last week’s loss to the Chargers.
NFL WEEK 16 SCORES
Seahawks 38 Rams 37 (OT)
Commanders 18 Eagles 29
Bears 22 Packers 16 (OT)
Cowboys 17 Chargers 34
Giants 13 Vikings 16
Dolphins 21 Bengals 45
Panthers 23 Buccaneers 20
Saints 29 Jets 6
Browns 20 Bills 23
Titans 26 Chiefs 9
Broncos 20 Jaguars 34
Cardinals 19 Falcons 26
Texans 23 Raiders 21
Lions 24 Steelers 29
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