Steelers wideout DK Metcalf was suspended two games by the NFL on Monday in light of his physical altercation with a Lions fan on Sunday. The star receiver wasted no time in appealing the league’s decision, which would keep him sidelined for the remainder of the regular season as his team fights for a playoff spot.
On Tuesday night, the NFL made its ruling: Metcalf’s suspension was upheld.
It is a painful result for both the Steelers and Metcalf, even beyond the football field. In the immediate, Pittsburgh will be without its leading receiver by a huge margin for the last two games of the year; Metcalf leads the team with 850 yards, doubling up his next-leading teammate in Kenneth Gainwell with 410 yards. And while the team is in pole position to take the AFC North crown with a two-game lead over the Ravens they haven’t clinched a postseason spot yet.
The final opponents on the schedule for Pittsburgh are the Browns and Ravens. Cleveland’s defense is fierce and Huntington Bank Field is an unpleasant place to play in late December. Baltimore’s defense has been porous for much of the season but if the Steelers can’t take care of business in Week 17 there’s a chance Week 18 becomes a win-or-go-home game, where anything can happen. Metcalf will be absent no matter what happens, but he is eligible to return should the Steelers qualify for postseason play.
Off the field, Metcalf’s suspension voids millions of guarantees on the contract he signed this past offseason. He’s still capable of earning that money but the fact that he cannot join the team on the field due to suspension violated the terms of his agreement with the team.
All in all, a tough development for the Steelers. Aaron Rodgers and the rest of the offense will have their work cut out for them in the next few weeks, while Metcalf can only hope Pittsburgh survives long enough for him to take the field again this season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as NFL Rules on DK Metcalf’s Appeal of Two-Game Suspension for Fan Altercation.
