Ryan Kennedy, the fan Pittsburgh wide receiver D.K. Metcalf confronted and made contact with during Sunday’s Steelers-Lions game, will be holding a press conference with his lawyers on Friday, ESPN’s Brooke Pryor reported. The conference will be to “address the assault, correct misinformation that has been publicly repeated as fact, and discuss the serious consequences […]
Ryan Kennedy, the fan Pittsburgh wide receiver D.K. Metcalf confronted and made contact with during Sunday’s Steelers-Lions game, will be holding a press conference with his lawyers on Friday, ESPN’s Brooke Pryor reported.
The conference will be to “address the assault, correct misinformation that has been publicly repeated as fact, and discuss the serious consequences Mr. Kennedy has faced,” Pryor quoted.
“The press conference is the latest indication that a lawsuit is coming, against Metcalf and others,” Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio wrote on Wednesday. “One claim will likely be based on the clear assault/battery that Metcalf committed. Even if Kennedy suffered little or no physical harm, the law makes it obvious that Metcalf contacted Kennedy in an offensive manner.”
Florio said a defamation case could also be on the way.
Kennedy seems set on refuting claims made by former NFL wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, who said on his podcast with former NFL tight end Shannon Sharpe that Kennedy called Metcalf a racial slur and called Metcalf’s mother a derogatory term. Ochocinco said he heard that side of the story from “a reliable source who wears No. 4,” implying it was Metcalf himself.
It’s worth noting Metcalf has not directly made any public statements yet following the altercation, avoiding talking to the media after the game. He was suspended two games by the NFL and failed to win his appeal.
Kennedy released a statement on Monday denying that he used any offensive language.
Limited videos from the altercation don’t obviously show any such language being used.
Kennedy told the Detroit Free Press following the game that Metcalf swung at him after he called the wide receiver by his full name.
“My words don’t matter because it was on camera,” Kennedy said.
CBS Sports reported that Metcalf lost $45 million in future guarantees following the suspension due to language in his contract about “conduct detrimental” to the league.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported following the game that Metcalf had previously reported Kennedy to Seahawks security during his time in Seattle.
Category: General Sports
