As expected ever since the incident, a Detroit Lions fan is suing Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf over an altercation at Ford Field.
However, the lawsuit also features some unexpected media figures.
During the second quarter of the Lions-Steelers game in Week 16, Metcalf was seen having a conversation with Detroit fan Ryan Kennedy, who was leaning over the railing. At one point, Metcalf is seen swiping upward at Kennedy and walking away. The Steelers’ wide receiver was suspended for two games over the incident.
Steelers WR DK Metcalf hit a fan in the stands in Detroit.
The CBS cameras caught it, and reporter Tracy Wolfson offered more details on the incident. #NFL pic.twitter.com/avieHL2Jbz
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 21, 2025
On an episode of Nightcap, hosted by former NFL players Chad Johnson and Shannon Sharpe, Johnson said that Metcalf told him he reacted that way because Kennedy used a racial slur toward him, then made another offensive comment about his mother
A few days later, Kennedy, wearing a backwards hat and suit, held a press conference with lawyers categorically denying that he had uttered a racial slur.
“I didn’t use any racial slurs, no hate speech. I mean, none of that stuff at the game. Actually never. Fifteen years season ticket holder for the Lions, I’ve never done that at all. So, DeKaylin, if you’re watching this man, just, if you could just say that, please,” Kennedy said, calling Metcalf by his legal first name, which is reportedly part of what upset the Steelers wide receiver in the first place.
On Tuesday, Kennedy filed a lawsuit against Metcalf in Michigan’s Wayne County Court, seeking $100 million in damages stemming from the incident. The lawsuit lists nine counts and also names Johnson, Sharpe, and Sharpe’s Shay Shay Media for two counts of negligence, as well as Ford Field for one count.
Kennedy is also asking Sharpe and Johnson for a “full public retraction and correction of defamatory statements.”
“The lawsuit alleges that Johnson, appearing on the widely-viewed ‘Nightcap’ podcast co-hosted by Shannon Sharpe, falsely claimed that Kennedy called Metcalf the ‘N-word’ and referred to Metcalf’s mother using a vile misogynistic slur — statements that Kennedy categorically denies and that no video or audio evidence supports,” reads a statement from Kennedy’s lawyer, Jon Marko of Marko Law. “The false allegations, which were republished by major outlets including ESPN, Yahoo Sports, and USA Today, went viral across social media platforms with millions of views, branding Kennedy as a racist on a national scale and subjecting him to death threats, hate mail, and severe damage to his business reputation.”
Kennedy is also suing Metcalf for assault and battery, as well as the Steelers for their role in the incident. He is also suing Ford Field management for liability.
“Defendant Ford Field Management, LLC breached its duty by failing to establish or enforce adequate barriers, protocols, or security measures. This failure allowed players to reach into the stands and make physical contact with patrons.”