NFL star DK Metcalf will not face charges over a physical altercation with a fan, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office revealed on Friday. On December 21, CBS cameras captured Metcalf exchanging words with Lions fan Ryan Kennedy during their game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers receiver then grabbed Kennedy by his shirt collar and swung at his face, though Metcalf made only minimal contact, if any, with his punch.
Reports later claimed that Kennedy had used racial slurs to provoke Metcalf; however, there was no evidence to substantiate these claims. Prosecutors announced this week that they will not pursue criminal charges against the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver. '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. The warrant request is denied,' the prosecutor's office stated.
Metcalf's Attorney Responds
Metcalf, who had not previously addressed the incident, welcomed the decision through his attorney, Mitch Schuster. '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. We applaud the decision and are thankful for the hard work and thorough investigation that led to this just result,' Schuster said in a statement via Adam Schefter. '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.'
Allegations of Racial Slurs
Following the December incident, former NFL star Chad Johnson alleged on his 'Nightcap' podcast with Shannon Sharpe that Metcalf told him Kennedy racially abused him. Johnson reported that Kennedy fired racial slurs at Metcalf, including the n-word, and made a derogatory remark about his mother. In response, Kennedy filed a lawsuit in Wayne County Court demanding a staggering $100 million in compensation in February. He named Metcalf, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Ford Field Management LLC, Johnson, Shay Shay Media LLC, and All Time Sports LLC. Kennedy alleges Johnson spread 'several false, reckless and defamatory statements' about him and how the incident unfolded.
Kennedy's Denial and Legal Action
Lions fan Ryan Kennedy denied using racial slurs in his altercation with DK Metcalf. In a statement to TMZ, Kennedy's attorney Jon Marko said: 'The N-word is the most offensive and inflammatory racial slur in the English language. No other word expresses so much hatred and bigotry. Falsely accusing someone of using that word hurts not only the person falsely accused, but hurts every victim of racial hatred and bigotry.' The civil case is reportedly set to proceed, with the lack of criminal charges not expected to impact the process, Kennedy's lawyer Jon Marko told The Free Press. 'I think a reasonable person upon seeing the video would consider that an assault and/or a battery under the criminal law,' he said.
The lawsuit claims that Kennedy 'suffered extensive economic and non-economic damages' after the podcast. 'Defendants have failed to issue any public retractions or corrections acknowledging that Plaintiff Kennedy never used racial slurs or hate speech,' according to the lawsuit. 'Defendant Metcalf, despite being the alleged source of the false and reckless statements, has refused to issue any public statement clarifying that Plaintiff Kennedy did not use racial slurs, thereby perpetuating the defamatory statements.'
