On Sunday (US time), NFL star and Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf was all over the ‘Sports Twitter’ timeline, as he made a questionable mid-game move at Ford Field. Cameras caught him seemingly getting into an altercation with a fan of the contending team, the Detroit Lions.

Even NFL on CBS’ official X profile flashed the controversial moment on social media, while several others amplified the video elsewhere. The self-proclaimed “Biggest Detroit Lions Fan Ever,” has since broken his silence, disclosing to a local Detroit news outlet why and what happened on the field.

What happened: DK Metcalf ‘punches’ Detroit Lions fan in viral video

Amid speculation about what really happened, social media users threw in several verb iterations to define what they saw on CBS cameras. While some believed Metcalf had “pushed” the NFL fan in the stands, other said he had “punched” him.

The unexpected development that eventually blew up the Internet unravelled during a commercial break in the second quarter of the Sunday Steelers vs Lions match. Metcalf was spotted on the edge of the field, embroiled in an altercation with a Lions fan, who appeared to be holding some yellow Steelers paraphernalia.

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He was hanging over the ledge, as the two seemed to engaged in some sort of hostile interaction. Metcalf was ultimately caught on camera, as he apparently threw a punch in the fan’s direction. As per the video, it didn’t appear as if the man had taken a direct hit.

It was unclear early on what had happened between the Steelers player and the Lions fan.

Lions fan breaks silence after viral DK Metcalf punch video

The Detroit Free Press eventually caught up with the fan who made contentious news headlines during the live Sunday match. The man admitted to how everyone was suddenly talking to him about what transpired on the field.

“I’m a little rattled, but I just want the Lions to win, baby,” he told the Free Press. At first, the fan was a bit cagey when asked what led up to the altercation between the two. “My words don’t matter because it was on camera,” he said, as he seemingly tried to make the most of his two-second fame.

On being pushed to reveal his identity, the fan simply declared, “My name is ‘Biggest Detroit Lions Fan Ever that got attacked by DeKaylin Zecharius Metcalf.'” And then he finally did come out about his name being Ryan Kennedy, a man from Pinckney, Michigan.

Turning back on Metcalf again, the Lions fans told the Free Press, “What, my full name isn’t is DeKaylin Zecharius Metcalf.” He then confessed to have called out the Pittsburgh Steelers athlete’s full name, prompting the televised action we all saw.

“He doesn’t like his government name,” Kennedy told the local Detroit paper. “I called him that and then he grabbed me and ripped my shirt. I’m a little shocked.”

DK Metcalf and Lions fan reportedly have history

As per the coverage by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Metfcalf had previously had an issue with the same fan he got into a fight with on Sunday. He reported that something happened last season when the NFL player was with the Seattle Seahawks.

The wide receiver is said to have taken up the issue with security after it happened. “Steelers WR DK Metcalf had a history with the Lions fan he confronted Sunday — Metcalf reported the same fan to Seahawks security last season while playing for Seattle, sources say,” Pelissero claimed, as per The Sporting News.

Mystery continues to surround this purported incident from last season.

What happened after the Metcalf-Lions fan incident

Both the Lion and the National Football League (NFL) have since issued statements, addressing that the fan in question was not escorted out of the game. While Lions officials reportedly reached out to Kennedy, the NFL stated that it couldn’t push for Metcalf’s disqualification.

Meanwhile, former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver appeared on the Nightcap podcast after the Sunday’s game, potentially revealing a different reason for the confrontation between Metcalf and the NFL fan. Johnson claimed that Metcalf said the Lions supporter had called him a racial slur.

“He called him the N-word and he did call his mom a (C-word). And I think those words being exchanged and the fan saying that, I think that’s where the action occurred where I think he threw a punch. I’m not sure if he connected or whatever. But he did call him the N-word and he called his mama, I guess the C-word,” Johnson said during the podcast appearance.

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Offering further insight into how he found out the alleged truth about the incident, he added, “I’m not condoning DK touching the fans. You can’t touch the fans. Based on what I was told from a reliable source who wears No. 4 (Metcalf), that’s what it was.”

What will happen to DK Metcalf now?

Right after the video blew up a storm on social media, X users continued joking how the Lions fan could hit Metcalf up with a massive lawsuit. Some others seemed more than convinced that the incident would land the Steelers wide receiver in trouble.

However, the NFL has since said in a statement, “There was no flag on the field, so New York cannot weigh in with regard to a potential disqualification,” as per the Free Press. At the time, even CBS rules official Gene Steratore pointed out that referees couldn’t eject Metcalf from the game.”

While Metcalf appeared to have steered clear of media after the incident, his head coach Mike Tomlin spoke to the press, with NFL.com quoting him saying, “I heard about it, but I hadn’t seen it and I hadn’t had an opportunity to talk to DK, and so I have no comment.”

It remains to be seen how Metcalf will end up facing the consequences of his actions. Given how public the incident was, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero took to X to share that the NFL could “make a determination on the Metcalf incident” on Monday. Current word is that the NFL is reviewing the incident for potential disclipine, as per Pelissero’s social media admission.