The Detroit Lions fan involved in an altercation with Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf last Sunday held a press conference on Friday, asking the NFL star to clear his name.
Ryan Kennedy, the Lions fan at the heart of the DK Metcalf controversy, appeared at a press conference alongside his legal representation wearing a suit and a backwards Lions hat. During a statement, Kennedy claimed he did not use racial slurs or hate speech in the lead-up to Sunday’s altercation with Metcalf.
Courtesy of Fox 2 Detroit, Lions fan Ryan Kennedy’s full statement given before questions at his press conference on Friday morning.
Worth noting, he refers to #Steelers WR DK Metcalf by his full first name, which Kennedy said was what bothered Metcalf before their incident on… pic.twitter.com/mA3mHGd94m
— Brendan Howe (@bybrendanhowe) December 26, 2025
“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. Kennedy went on to say that his family has received threats as a result of the situation.
“We’re here today for one reason: To correct the record. Ryan Kennedy did not use the N-word. Ryan Kennedy did not use the C-word. And he did not use any racial slurs whatsoever — at any time. Those claims are absolutely false,” Kennedy’s attorney said during the news conference, per Steelers beat writer Mike DeFabo.
“After the assault, false accusations of racism and racial slurs were made publicly. As a result, Ryan Kennedy and his family have received threats. They’ve been harassed. And his business has been damaged,” the attorney continued. “We’ve reached out to DK Metcalf’s representatives. We’ve asked that those false accusations be corrected. As of this morning, we have not received a response. Mr. Metcalf does have the ability to explain what was not said.”
So far, Kennedy’s legal team has not pursued any litigation, but that is not off the table. “Right now, we’re evaluating all of our options of course. We’re going to make sure that we use any legal remedies available to protect Ryan Kennedy and his family,” the attorney said.
DK Metcalf has, of course, been suspended for two games as a result of the altercation. The suspension was upheld earlier this week after an appeal.
At this point, the details of the conversation between Kennedy and Metcalf amount to a “he said, she said” situation. No one outside of Kennedy and Metcalf knows exactly what was said before the altercation. However, Kennedy’s continued use of Metcalf’s legal name, rather than “DK,” certainly shows a general lack of respect this individual has for the NFL star.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.