Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf will not face criminal charges following an altercation with Detroit Lions fan Ryan Kennedy during a December 2025 game in Detroit.

In a statement released Friday, May 1, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that prosecutors declined to pursue charges after reviewing evidence related to the incident. Metcalf, 28, was investigated after a confrontation with the fan during the Steelers’ game at Ford Field on Dec. 21, 2025.

According to prosecutors, investigators interviewed the fan, stadium security staff and nearby spectators. Authorities also reviewed video footage captured during the incident.

During the game, Metcalf was seen in a heated exchange with a Lions fan seated near the Steelers bench. Video of the moment appeared to show the wide receiver grabbing the fan’s shirt and striking him in the face.

Prosecutors said the fan had approached the railing while holding a Metcalf jersey in hopes of getting an autograph.

“As he approached the front railing of the stands, he said something to Mr. Metcalf,” the prosecutor’s office said in its statement. “As Mr. Metcalf approached the stands, there was a brief interaction where Mr. Metcalf grabbed his shirt and pushed him back. The fan did not appear to be injured, nor did he seek medical attention at the game.”

Following the incident, the NFL suspended Metcalf for two games without pay.

However, the legal matter is not fully resolved. Kennedy has filed a civil lawsuit against Metcalf, Ford Field management and former NFL players Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson. The lawsuit alleges that the parties made “defamatory and life-altering statements” about Kennedy after the altercation.

During an episode of the Nightcap podcast, Johnson said Metcalf told him that Kennedy had used racial slurs during the confrontation. Kennedy has denied those accusations.

Kennedy’s attorney, Jonathan R. Marko, told the Detroit Free Press that the prosecutor’s decision not to file charges does not affect the ongoing civil case.

“I think a responsible person upon seeing the video would consider that an assault and/or a battery under the criminal law,” Marko said, adding that the decision was not surprising given the significant resources required to prosecute the case.

Metcalf’s attorney, Mitch Schuster, praised the prosecutor’s decision, saying they were grateful for the “thorough investigation that led to this just result.”

“We are confident that justice will also prevail in the civil claim involving Mr. Kennedy,” Schuster added, stating that Metcalf’s counterclaim alleges Kennedy’s conduct was fueled by hate and unacceptable in professional sports.