Steelers rumors: DK Metcalf won’t lose contract guarantees despite suspension

A midweek report hinted D.K. Metcalf’s two-game suspension could have triggered a financial hammer for Pittsburgh, potentially wiping out $45 million in future guarantees tied to his contract.

But on FOX NFL Sunday, Jay Glazer delivered a very different update: the Steelers chose not to strip Metcalf of his guarantees, even though the suspension gave them the option.

Metcalf was suspended for making “unnecessary physical contact with a fan” during Pittsburgh’s Week 16 road game against the Detroit Lions, and he’s already set to lose $555,556 in salary from the ban.

Glazer also added important backstory on how this situation reached a boiling point. He said he had security communication showing Metcalf previously complained about the same fan during a Lions-Seahawks game last season, when Metcalf was still in Seattle.

According to Glazer, Metcalf wanted the fan removed after an alleged derogatory comment, and the report said surrounding individuals corroborated that the fan was out of line and had made those statements. Glazer noted the Steelers had no knowledge of that prior security documentation.

The timing matters because Pittsburgh is sitting atop the AFC North at 9-6 entering a Week 17 road game against the Browns. A win clinches the division and eliminates the Ravens, while a loss sets up Week 18 at home against Baltimore with the division at stake.

Metcalf’s place in the offense remains central to the bigger picture. Pittsburgh acquired him in March, sending 2025 second- and seventh-round picks to Seattle in a deal that also brought back a sixth-rounder, then signed him to a four-year, $132 million extension. Through 15 games, he has 59 catches for a team-high 850 yards and six touchdowns.

Off the field, the Steelers also had a lighter moment this week: Aaron Rodgers gifted the offensive line Can-Am Maverick side-by-side vehicles that retail around $20,000 each, with a dealership saying he purchased 11.

But those lighter moments could end up as fast as they came. With Metcalf sidelined for the final two regular-season games, Pittsburgh will have to navigate Week 17 at Cleveland and Week 18 against Baltimore without one of its top receiving threats.

The Steelers’ decision to keep his guarantees intact removes one potential layer of offseason drama, but the immediate focus stays on finishing the AFC North race with the roster they have available.

The post Steelers rumors: DK Metcalf won’t lose contract guarantees despite suspension appeared first on ClutchPoints.