Steelers Get Warning About DK Metcalf Contract Decision

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the midst of a playoff push, needing to defeat the Baltimore Ravens to win the AFC North and enter the postseason heading into the New Year.

But the game, and their troubles in Week 17 against the Cleveland Browns, have been highlighted by their wide receiver who isn't on the field. DK Metcalf was forced to miss Weeks 17 and 18 after being suspended by the NFL for an altercation with a fan in Week 16 against the Detroit Lions.

With the suspension, $45 million of his guaranteed contract could've been voided by the team. However, the Steelers chose to keep it for the star wide receiver, putting faith in his ability - and his efforts to avoid situations like these in the future.

"Because he got suspended, the Steelers could have basically taken back all of his guarantees, "Glazer said on 'FOX NFL Kickoff.' "They, however, have decided not to do that. They’re gonna stick with DK. They don’t want to do something like that. They kinda want to make a long-term commitment to DK Metcalf, even in situations like this."

Now, the Steelers are getting warned about the decision.

Dec 21, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) tackles Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf (4) during the fourth quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Steelers Get Multiple Warnings

Speaking with people across the league, The Athletic's Mike Sando was given plenty of messages about how the Steelers should handle the Metcalf situation. Most of them were warnings to be cautious about the decision with guaranteed money.

"They need to be really smart (with the decision on guarantees)," an agent told Sando. "It is either, ‘Hey, do it every time, no matter who the player is, including the star quarterback,’ or don’t do it unless you kind of have to, in a sense. There are definitely repercussions."

Even a former general manager believes they can't rush the decision - even if they already made it.

"This is a club-precedent-type decision, so they have to be careful with how they handle it," a former general manager said.

Steelers Don't Care

The Steelers never planned to remove the guarantees from Metcalf's contract, putting faith that he'll be on the roster for the next two years, when he would've received the contract anyway.

Right now, Metcalf is the clear WR1 in Pittsburgh and their performance against the Cleveland Browns in Week 17 only adds to that understanding. They'd like to build around Metcalf moving forward, and whether the money is guaranteed or not, they believe he's going to receive it over the next two seasons anyways.

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