Detroit Lions fan Ryan Kennedy is suing Pittsburgh Steelers star DK Metcalf, the team, and several sports media outlets for $100 million in damages, claiming defamation, assault, and battery. The lawsuit stems from a December confrontation between Kennedy and Metcalf at Ford Field in Detroit.
Kennedy alleges that Metcalf initiated the physical contact without provocation, grabbing him by the shirt collar during an exchange along the front row. However, Kennedy claims he never used any racial or misogynistic slurs during the encounter, saying only ordinary crowd jeering. According to the complaint, Metcalf claimed Kennedy called him the N-word, which Kennedy's attorney calls a "hate crime" with no basis in fact.
The suit centers on statements made by Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson and Shannon Sharpe during a podcast episode. Johnson claimed Kennedy used racial and misogynistic slurs, while Sharpe said "a lot of people have been killed behind words," which Kennedy says fueled online harassment and threats directed at him.
Kennedy alleges the accusations were false and made with actual malice or reckless disregard for the truth. He claims Metcalf was the original source of the allegations and provided false information to Johnson to justify the physical confrontation. As a result, Kennedy received death threats, harassing voicemails, and hate mail, causing reputational and financial harm to his mortgage-lending business.
The lawsuit also accuses Ford Field Management, the stadium operator, of failing to properly monitor and secure the front-row seating area, allowing Metcalf to access and physically confront a spectator. The Steelers are being sued for failing to supervise Metcalf and being vicariously liable for his conduct.
Kennedy is seeking more than $100 million in damages, including public retractions and corrections from the defendants through their usual channels. The NFL had already suspended Metcalf for two games without pay for conduct detrimental to the league, but Metcalf has appealed the suspension. His coach, Mike Tomlin, said publicly that he spoke with the receiver about the incident but did not condone the behavior.
Metcalf has not yet addressed the allegations in the lawsuit, and none of the defendants have publicly responded to the filing as of Tuesday afternoon.
Kennedy alleges that Metcalf initiated the physical contact without provocation, grabbing him by the shirt collar during an exchange along the front row. However, Kennedy claims he never used any racial or misogynistic slurs during the encounter, saying only ordinary crowd jeering. According to the complaint, Metcalf claimed Kennedy called him the N-word, which Kennedy's attorney calls a "hate crime" with no basis in fact.
The suit centers on statements made by Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson and Shannon Sharpe during a podcast episode. Johnson claimed Kennedy used racial and misogynistic slurs, while Sharpe said "a lot of people have been killed behind words," which Kennedy says fueled online harassment and threats directed at him.
Kennedy alleges the accusations were false and made with actual malice or reckless disregard for the truth. He claims Metcalf was the original source of the allegations and provided false information to Johnson to justify the physical confrontation. As a result, Kennedy received death threats, harassing voicemails, and hate mail, causing reputational and financial harm to his mortgage-lending business.
The lawsuit also accuses Ford Field Management, the stadium operator, of failing to properly monitor and secure the front-row seating area, allowing Metcalf to access and physically confront a spectator. The Steelers are being sued for failing to supervise Metcalf and being vicariously liable for his conduct.
Kennedy is seeking more than $100 million in damages, including public retractions and corrections from the defendants through their usual channels. The NFL had already suspended Metcalf for two games without pay for conduct detrimental to the league, but Metcalf has appealed the suspension. His coach, Mike Tomlin, said publicly that he spoke with the receiver about the incident but did not condone the behavior.
Metcalf has not yet addressed the allegations in the lawsuit, and none of the defendants have publicly responded to the filing as of Tuesday afternoon.
come on, DK Metcalf gets caught up in a lawsuit for $100 million over a physical altercation with some Lions fan who's basically a meme at this point? 
i mean, I'm no fan of getting into fights, but come on, the dude got into it with someone and now he's getting sued for $100 million? 
and what's up with these sports media outlets getting dragged in too? Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson is just a joke 
. this whole thing is just a big ol' mess 
and I'm just here for the popcorn 
It's not like Kennedy said anything crazy, either. I mean, come on, Metcalf's the one who got physical. The NFL suspended him already, so what's the point of this lawsuit? Just a way to make money off his ego, if you ask me 
And Ford Field Management is getting sued too... wow, poor stadium management 
. And Ford Field Management getting sued too? Like, they can't even do their job properly? 
.
. But now this lawsuit? It's like they're trying to take down everyone involved, even if it means Kennedy might've gotten under Metcalf's skin 
. And can we talk about how ridiculous it is that Metcalf claimed Kennedy used racial slurs when he knows that's not true 
.
. If you've got a problem with someone, address it calmly and professionally, don't resort to physical violence or try to drag others into it 
. And can we please give Ryan Kennedy a break? He's just trying to do his job as a Detroit Lions fan and enjoys the game without drama 
.
. Time to get back to being productive and focusing on our goals, am I right? 
. I don't think Metcalf did anything wrong, but Kennedy's lawyer is playing it like he's the victim 
. Chad Ochocinco and Shannon Sharpe should've just stuck to their day jobs, not tried to go all investigative journalist on people 
. And now Kennedy's getting all this attention for being some sort of hero?