Local Man Sues NFL Star and Steelers for Defamation and Assault After Being Labelled a Racist
A Livingston County man has filed a $100 million defamation lawsuit against Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf, the team, and prominent sports media figures, claiming he was labelled racist after being assaulted during a confrontation at Ford Field in December. Ryan Kennedy, a longtime Detroit Lions season-ticket holder and mortgage company CEO, filed the suit in Wayne County Circuit Court after Metcalf claimed Kennedy called him the N-word.
According to the complaint, Metcalf initiated the physical contact without provocation and that Kennedy never used any racial or misogynistic slurs during the encounter. However, Kennedy alleges that he was falsely accused on a nationally distributed sports podcast of calling Metcalf the N-word and using a misogynistic slur to refer to his mother.
The lawsuit centers on statements made by Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson during a Dec 22 episode of the "Nightcap" podcast. Johnson claimed Kennedy used racial and misogynistic slurs, saying he heard it directly from Metcalf. However, Kennedy says he never used any such language and was falsely accused with actual malice or reckless disregard for the truth.
As a result, Kennedy received death threats, harassing voicemails, and hate mail, and his mortgage-lending business suffered reputational and financial harm. The complaint also alleges that Metcalf intentionally reached into the stands, grabbed him by the collar, and pulled him toward the field during the game.
Kennedy is seeking more than $100 million in damages, as well as court-ordered public retractions and corrections from the defendants through the same channels where the statements were originally published. The civil filing follows disciplinary action by the NFL, which suspended Metcalf for two games without pay for conduct detrimental to the league.
Metcalf's coach Mike Tomlin said publicly that he spoke with the receiver about the incident but did not condone the behavior. At the time of the suspension, Kennedy denied using any racial, misogynistic or hate-based language and said he had been subjected to harassment and threats after the claims circulated publicly.
A Livingston County man has filed a $100 million defamation lawsuit against Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf, the team, and prominent sports media figures, claiming he was labelled racist after being assaulted during a confrontation at Ford Field in December. Ryan Kennedy, a longtime Detroit Lions season-ticket holder and mortgage company CEO, filed the suit in Wayne County Circuit Court after Metcalf claimed Kennedy called him the N-word.
According to the complaint, Metcalf initiated the physical contact without provocation and that Kennedy never used any racial or misogynistic slurs during the encounter. However, Kennedy alleges that he was falsely accused on a nationally distributed sports podcast of calling Metcalf the N-word and using a misogynistic slur to refer to his mother.
The lawsuit centers on statements made by Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson during a Dec 22 episode of the "Nightcap" podcast. Johnson claimed Kennedy used racial and misogynistic slurs, saying he heard it directly from Metcalf. However, Kennedy says he never used any such language and was falsely accused with actual malice or reckless disregard for the truth.
As a result, Kennedy received death threats, harassing voicemails, and hate mail, and his mortgage-lending business suffered reputational and financial harm. The complaint also alleges that Metcalf intentionally reached into the stands, grabbed him by the collar, and pulled him toward the field during the game.
Kennedy is seeking more than $100 million in damages, as well as court-ordered public retractions and corrections from the defendants through the same channels where the statements were originally published. The civil filing follows disciplinary action by the NFL, which suspended Metcalf for two games without pay for conduct detrimental to the league.
Metcalf's coach Mike Tomlin said publicly that he spoke with the receiver about the incident but did not condone the behavior. At the time of the suspension, Kennedy denied using any racial, misogynistic or hate-based language and said he had been subjected to harassment and threats after the claims circulated publicly.
You can't handle the truth!
. I mean, I feel bad for him that he got harassed and threatened after being accused of saying something racist 
. But $100 million? That's a lot 
. Did Metcalf really just say Kennedy said the N-word without knowing for sure? It seems like a pretty big leap to me 
. And what's with all these public retractions and corrections? Can't we just have an honest conversation about this stuff instead of trying to damage each other's reputations? 
.
Can't believe this dude's lost his grip on reality... like, you're suing someone for calling you a racist? That's what happens when you get physical with some poor soul at a football game... 
I mean, who needs a concussion when you can have a $100 million lawsuit, right? 
And Metcalf thinks he's off the hook because his coach said sorry and all that jazz... newsflash, buddy: saying sorry doesn't make it not your problem. 
. I mean, if Metcalf really believed Kennedy was racist, wouldn't he have just called the cops or something? Nope, he goes ahead and accuses him on a podcast, and then Kennedy gets harassed and threatened? It smells like setup to me 
. And let's not forget, Metcalf got suspended for two games, but there's no retraction or apology from him - what's good with that?
. I don't think Metcalf's actions at that game were justified 
. He was already being confronted by Kennedy, and then he proceeds to physically take him by the collar and almost pulls him onto the field? That sounds like a form of assault to me 
. And now Kennedy is suing him for defamation 
. If Metcalf's coach didn't condone that behavior, then maybe he should've taken action against his own player instead of just suspending him 
.
that's messed up. metcalf should've just kept quiet and not dragged kennedy through the mud. it's gonna be interesting to see how this whole thing plays out 
. The NFL needs to take a closer look at what really went down here 
A guy gets accused of being a racist and then has his rep completely trashed online? That's just not right. I mean, Metcalf's got some 'splainin' to do for sure. Like, if Kennedy didn't say that slur, why did he get suspended in the first place? And now Kennedy's getting sued for $100 million... that's insane! 
and i gotta ask, can we get to the bottom of what really went down at ford field? was metcalf really assaulted without provocation or is there more to the story? 
. I'm not surprised Kennedy is suing him and the Steelers, he has every right to protect his reputation. But I feel bad for Kennedy, getting death threats and hate mail because of a false accusation is just awful 
. And can we please just have some accountability when it comes to these sports personalities and their words? We need to take hurtful language seriously 
.
This whole situation is so messed up 
. I can only imagine how hurtful it must be for Ryan Kennedy to have his name dragged through the mud like this. The fact that DK Metcalf and Chad Johnson are blaming him for saying something he never said? It's just not right 
. No one deserves to be treated like this. I hope this lawsuit brings some justice and accountability to these people 
. The NFL needs to do better in supporting its players when they're wronged by false accusations. This is just so frustrating 
.
. I hope you get the support you need from loved ones and that this lawsuit helps clear your name 
. It's also really disappointing that Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson spread those false rumors without verifying the facts first 
, but 100 million bucks for defamation and assault? That's a lot of cash 
. But what really gets me is that Metcalf claims he didn't do anything wrong after being accused by his own teammate Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson 