Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has heard a lot of criticism over his 21 NFL seasons. It just comes with the territory, especially for a lightning rod like Rodgers who’s not afraid to speak his mind and stir up controversy.

He’s used to it and understands that part of the game, but he doesn’t always agree with it.

Rodgers recently addressed fan behavior after Steelers teammate DK Metcalf took a swipe at a Detroit Lions fan last week, advocating for rules to limit some of the nastier barbs directed at players.

“There’s always a lot of different things that are said. Some things that are benign, and some things that aren’t,” Rodgers said. “I think there’s a mindset that you pay for a ticket, you say whatever the hell you want. I think there should be some sort of code of conduct. Obviously, that was intentional, and I think there was some celebration afterwards on (the fan’s) part.”

Rodgers also thinks fans feel emboldened to say mean things to players because they don’t have to face them up close, similar to online bullying. He said most of his in-person interactions with fans have been “cordial,” even in rival cities.

“Obviously, I don’t condone what DK did, but I understand. There’s been a lot of crazy comments said my way over the years,” Rodgers said. “The truth is, that would never happen face-to-face.”

Rodgers added that “there are two sides to every story” and said he’ll continue to support Metcalf, who’s been suspended for Pittsburgh’s final two regular-season games.

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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers on Wednesday argued that fans should be held accountable after receiver DK Metcalf was suspended for his altercation with one.

During the Steelers’ game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field, Metcalf exchanged words with a Lions fan in the stands. That exchange quickly turned physical when Metcalf approached the fan, grabbed him by his hair, and swung at him. The incident occurred at halftime, and Metcalf finished the game.

The NFL later suspended him for the final two games of the regular season. As a result of that suspension, the Steelers now have the option to void $45 million in guaranteed money from his contract.

In the days following the incident, it was revealed that the fan — whose name is Ryan Kennedy — had a history with Metcalf. When the star receiver was still a member of the Seattle Seahawks, he played several times against the Lions over the years. On at least one occasion, Metcalf reported Kennedy to team security.

It has not been confirmed what Kennedy said to set Metcalf off. According to former NFL receiver Chad Johnson, Metcalf claimed Kennedy used a racial slur. Kennedy has denied that claim.

Whatever the case may be, Rodgers believed the incident was a textbook example of why the NFL should implement a stricter conduct policy for fans.

“I think there’s a mindset that you pay for a ticket, you can say whatever the hell you want,” Rodgers said. “I think there should be some code of conduct. Obviously that was intentional, and I think there was some celebration afterwards on his part. Obviously don’t condone what DK did, but I understand. There’s been a lot of crazy comments said my way over the years, and the truth is that, that would never happen face-to-face.”

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The post Aaron Rodgers Comes to Defense of Teammate Suspended for Hitting Fan: They Think ‘You Can Say Whatever the Hell You Want’ first appeared on Mediaite.

DK Metcalf’s first season not for Seattle just took an ugly turn.

The NFL suspended the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver for two games without pay Monday, for “conduct detrimental to the NFL.”

Sunday, the former Seahawks two-time Pro Bowl star Seattle traded to Pittsburgh last spring grabbed then took a swing at a fan that missed his head during the Steelers’ win at the Detroit Lions.

The fan was standing in the first row of seats behind the Steelers bench when Metcalf, who turned 28 last week, went over to him during an injury time out.

DK Metcalf is likely going to get suspended. Throwing a punch toward the head of a fan during a game is wild.
The NFL absolutely is going to react to that. pic.twitter.com/ke9qdeJ74O

— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) December 21, 2025

The league wrote in a statement it was suspending Metcalf for “initiating a physical confrontation with a fan.”

The league wrote: “Metcalf’s actions violate league policy, which specifies that ‘players may not enter the stands or otherwise confront fans at any time on game day and…if a player makes unnecessary physical contact with a fan in any way that constitutes unsportsmanlike conduct or presents crowd-control issues and/or risk of injury, he will be held accountable.’” Metcalf, Seattle’s second-round draft choice in 2019, has the right to appeal his suspension under the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement with its players. The league said “a prompt hearing will be held by the commissioner or his designee.”

According to the Detroit Free Press, the fan said Sunday the exchange escalated after he called Metcalf by his full given name, DeKaylin Zecharius Metcalf.

On his “Nightcap” podcast Sunday, former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson said it was more than that.

“I got word -- obviously, I’m not condoning putting your hands on a fan or punching a fan -- but he did call him a racial slur,” Johnson said. “He called him the N-word and he did call his mom (a derogatory term). I think, with those words being exchanged and the fan saying that, I think that’s where the action occurred.

“That’s a bad combination... and it caused DK to react. I’m sure he will have to deal with some type of discipline. You know how the NFL is. No matter what’s said, they want you to be able to control yourself in that situation. But I understand.”

The fan responded to that with a statement through a Michigan law firm. The lawyers said their client “categorically denies using the ‘n-word,’ the (derogatory term about his mother) or any racial, misogynistic, or hate-based language during the incident.”

“These allegations are completely false,” the statement by Shawn Head and Sean Murphy of Head Murphy Law Firm continued.

An ESPN story Monday said that when Metcalf played for Seattle he reported the fan involved in the incident Sunday to Seahawks security personnel previously. Seattle played at Detroit in the 2022, ‘23 and ‘24 seasons.

Metcalf stands to lose $555,555.56. Those are two of his weekly in-season game checks from his $5 million base salary for 2025.

He signed a $132 million contract with Pittsburgh in March soon after the Seahawks traded him for a second-round draft choice and a swap of other picks. Metcalf will have a $25 million salary for the 2026 season.

Metcalf had been scheduled to enter 2025 in the final year of his three-year, $72 million contract extension with the Seahawks. The 6-foot-4, 235-pound wide receiver with a 10-second 100-meter dash and vertical leap of more than 42 inches had been set to earn $18 million this year with Seattle, before the trade and his new Steelers deal.

Seahawks general manager John Schneider and coach Mike Macdonald decided to trade him and give Seattle’s top-receiver role to Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

That’s worked out OK for Smith-Njigba and Seattle.

Despite constant attention from opposing defenses, Smith-Njigba leads the NFL with 1,637 yards. He has broken his and Tyler Lockett’s Seahawks record of 100 catches in a season. Smith-Njigba has 104 receptions through 15 games, with 10 touchdown catches.

Metcalf has 64 catches on 99 targets from Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, with 850 yards and six touchdowns through 15 games. He’s been getting double-covered by defenses most games.

Metcalf stands to miss Pittsburgh’s final two games of the regular season, though they may not matter. The Steelers (9-6) lead the AFC North by two games. They can clinch the division title Sunday by beating Cleveland, or by Baltimore (7-8) losing Saturday night at Green Bay, or by the Steelers beating the Ravens in week 18.

He will be eligible to return to the Steelers’ active roster on Monday, Jan. 5, which would be the week leading to their first playoff game.