GREEN BAY — Some people might’ve been surprised. Rashan Gary most definitely was not. 

It happened early in the fourth quarter of what would turn out to be a 35-25 Green Bay Packers victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night.

But the outcome was far from decided at that moment, especially with Packers-turned-Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the four-time NFL MVP, having the ball and time on the clock to erase a 10-point deficit.

Steelers running back Jaylen Warren had just run for a 5-yard gain, setting up a third-and-2 from Pittsburgh’s 33-yard line. Trailing 29-19 with 9 minutes, 45 seconds left in the game, Rodgers had led game-winning comebacks against much longer odds 

After the play, Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf was jawing with Packers linebacker Quay Walker. Walker said something back, and Metcalf responded by pushing his left index finger through Walker’s facemask. When Walker still didn’t retaliate, Metcalf grabbed hold of his facemask, earning a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

DK Metcalf called for personal foul for this pic.twitter.com/BF3wOb8Zwr

— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) October 27, 2025

Suddenly, instead of a makeable third-and-2, the Steelers were facing a third-and-17 from their own 18. Gary then sacked Rodgers for a 2-yard loss, forcing a punt.

Afterward, Gary was asked what he thought about the way Walker had handled a potentially volatile situation.

After all, as a rookie first-round draft pick in 2022, Walker had been ejected from two games for losing his temper — first for shoving Buffalo Bills practice-squad tight end Zach Davidson after crashing into the Bills’ sideline after making a tackle in a late October game; then for pushing a Detroit Lions team doctor while he was attending to injured running back D’Andre Swift, Walker’s college teammate at Georgia, during the regular-season finale.

The ejections raised rightfully pointed questions about whether Walker had the temperament to succeed in the NFL long-term, and coupled with a pair of underwhelming seasons in which he rang up high tackle numbers but had very few field-tilting moments, if the Packers had erred in picking him.

Three years later, Walker is not only leading the Packers in tackles (64, putting him on pace for a career-high 135) and has added four tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, six quarterback pressures and five QB hits, he’s also one of the team captains.

And he certainly acted like one during the Metcalf kerfuffle.

“Just him stepping up, being a leader, and just Quay being Quay, man,” Gary said of the incident. “[From] when he came in Year 1 to where he is now is night and day, so being able to control himself — a couple years ago, he would’ve reacted.”

He’ll get no argument from Walker.

“Back then, it would’ve really been hard because I would’ve responded back — for sure. [I] came a long way,” Walker said with a smile. “Just remembering how I felt after that [second] ejection, it’s all about putting the team first and not making the selfish decision like that, responding back. I just done matured a whole lot, and in that situation, I just knew automatically how to respond.”

Asked about the incident earlier this week, as the Packers (5-1-1) began early preparations for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers (4-4) at Lambeau Field, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur called Walker’s response “the epitome of being team-first” in a situation where retaliating would have been understandable.

“I mean, he’s wearing a ‘C’ on his jersey for a reason. He’s definitely earned it,” LaFleur said. “Just the growth you’ve seen as a player, he’s playing at a really high level right now. But the maturity that he’s shown, I told him after the game, I was really proud of him.

“He represented what we want to be about, just playing between the whistles, playing nasty between the whistles, and then let them do all that extra stuff. And I thought that just was a big-time, really mature moment for him.”

Walker has flourished in defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s system, serving as the on-field play-caller in the huddle and eliminating some of the mental mistakes that had plagued him during his first two seasons under previous coordinator Joe Barry.

“I think Quay is playing at an elite level right now,” Hafley said before the Steelers game. “His communication, the way he’s calling things out, the way he’s studying the game, the way he’s practicing, his leadership on our team — to me, [that’s all] at a whole different level on the field and off the field.

“I think he’s taken a step, and I really do believe there’s more room [to improve]. He’s going to get better and better, and I think there’s more ways that we can use him. I love being around the guy right now and I give him a ton of credit. He’s doing an awesome job.”

How Walker’s play through the first seven games of the season impacts his future with the team is hard to say.

General manager Brian Gutekunst has said repeatedly that Walker is in the team’s plans beyond the 2026 season, even though the team chose not to extend the fifth-year option on his rookie contract, meaning he’ll become a free agent in March.

And last month, Walker said talks on a contract extension were ongoing, adding that he believed a deal could be done in the not-too-distant future.

But for now, Walker is focused on staying in the moment, and continuing the process that has unfolded over the last year as he’s used meditation and regular conversations with director of performance psychology Dr. Chris Carr to improve his headspace along with his game.

“It’s just maturing, man. I’m older now,” Walker said. “I was 22 years old when I first did that and now I just grew up ever since that situation. I just know how it felt last time I did that. I felt very real real bad and just didn’t want to feel that.

“I know how to handle things now.”

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