The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office said today that it will not file criminal charges against Pittsburgh Steelers receiver DK Metcalf over a sideline run-in with a fan at Ford Field on Dec. 21, 2025. After reviewing the video and other evidence, prosecutors concluded the contact, in which Metcalf grabbed the fan’s shirt and pushed him back, did not meet the standard for criminal prosecution. The spectator, who has since launched a $100 million civil suit and denies using racial slurs, was not treated for injuries at the stadium, authorities said.
In a news release, the prosecutor’s office said a warrant request in the case was denied after investigators went through the footage and other material, according to WXYZ. The office characterized Metcalf’s actions as grabbing the man’s shirt and pushing him back, rather than an unambiguous punching assault, and noted again that the fan did not seek medical attention at the game.
The confrontation unfolded during Pittsburgh’s December trip to Detroit. Reporting identifies the spectator as Ryan Kennedy, 45, who left his seat behind the Steelers bench holding a Metcalf jersey and moved to the railing to ask for an autograph, in a report first published in The Detroit News and republished by Yahoo. Video that later circulated online shows Metcalf stepping into the stands area and making contact with Kennedy, and various outlets have described the motion as a shove, a grab, or a light punch.
The fan’s civil complaint, filed in February, seeks $100 million in damages and names Metcalf, several media figures, and Ford Field management, accusing them of defamation and other harms. The suit claims Kennedy was falsely labeled a racist and demands retractions along with monetary damages, according to CBS News Detroit. Kennedy’s attorneys say the prosecutor’s decision not to bring charges has no effect on their case. A status conference in Wayne County Circuit Court is scheduled for May 5.
What the video shows and the background
Footage of the Dec. 21 exchange shows Metcalf walking toward the front row near the Steelers bench, reaching for Kennedy’s shirt, and pushing him back while the game continues on the field. Local reporting, including notes in Deadline Detroit and prior Hoodline coverage, has also pointed to an apparent history between Metcalf and the fan that dates to Metcalf’s time with the Seattle Seahawks.
NFL punishment and contract consequences
The legal break from Wayne County did not spare Metcalf from league discipline. The NFL hit the receiver with a two-game suspension for conduct deemed detrimental to the league, which cost him two game checks. A contract review cited by CBS Sports found the suspension could also void roughly $45 million in future guaranteed money in his four-year deal. Steelers officials have said publicly they remain committed to Metcalf, but the suspension reshaped the financial picture around his contract and remains a key piece of the fallout from the incident.
Where things stand
With prosecutors now out of the picture, the fight shifts squarely to civil court. Kennedy’s lawyers say they plan to pursue depositions and additional evidence tied to the allegedly defamatory statements at the heart of their case. Local coverage and court records indicate the next procedural step is the May 5 status conference in Wayne County Circuit Court, and attorneys for both sides told reporters they expect the lawsuit to proceed even without a criminal case on the books, according to WXYZ.
