Lions Fan Denies Being Racist Toward DK Metcalf As He Considers Litigation Over Physical Altercation

A fan who was allegedly assaulted by Steelers receiver DK Metcalf during a game against the Lions has denied claims of being racist.

The individual, identified as Ryan Kennedy, said he did not use any racial slurs or hate speech during the game. His lawyer described the allegations as "false" and "damaging," adding that they have reached out to Metcalf in an effort to clarify the situation.

DK Metcalf is currently suspended for two games and will miss the remainder of the regular season.

Sunday's Steelers-Lions game took a dramatic turn when Metcalf was seen taking a heavy swipe at a Lions fan, Kennedy, during a heated moment in the contest.

Shortly after the game, claims that Kennedy was racist towards Metcalf began swirling online, further fueled by similar reports from former Pro Bowl receiver Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson on his "Nightcap" podcast.

Johnson had reported that Kennedy had called Metcalf the n-word and called the player's mother a c-nt. This, he claimed, was why Kennedy reacted in that manner.

While Metcalf hasn't officially confirmed if these words were said, Kennedy has now refuted the claims during a press conference on Friday.

"I want to be crystal clear about one thing — I didn't use any racial slurs, no hate speech, none of that stuff at the game," the Lions fan stated in the presence of his lawyers, per the New York Post.

The fan's denial was further backed by his lawyers, who called the racism allegations damaging.

"Being falsely branded as a racist is one of the most damaging accusations that a private citizen can endure," said attorney Shawn Head. "It's dangerous and causes very real consequences and very real damage."

The attorney also stated that Kennedy didn't use the slurs referenced by Johnson, adding that there is no evidence to support the allegations.

"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," Head affirmed to the press.

He added, "Those claims are absolutely false. They're not supported by any audio or video recordings, they're not supported by any eyewitness statements, and they're not supported by the investigation that was conducted by Ford Field personnel on the day of the incident."

In the wake of the incident, Kennedy appears to have received a barrage of threats, some of which have been targeted at his family.

The fan's business has allegedly also suffered bad reviews online, although the type or name of the business wasn't specified by either Kennedy or the lawyer.

For this reason, the fan urged Metcalf, whom he called by his government name, to come out and set the record straight.

"DeKaylin, if you're watching this, man, just, if you could just say that [he didn't use a racial slur], please, like, my family is getting threats and stuff and it's not cool," Kennedy said elsewhere in the conference.

"Whether you said that or not, I'm sure you didn't want that to happen to the family. Even if you did, like, I forgive you, man."

As Kennedy awaits a response from Metcalf, he appears to be also considering other means to clear his name.

This includes taking legal action, as alluded to by his lawyer, Head, during the press conference.

"Right now we're evaluating all of our options, of course, and we're going to make sure we use any legal remedies available to protect Ryan Kennedy and his family, "the attorney revealed.

He continued, "We're not going to litigate this in the media. We're here today to set the record straight."

Although Metcalf was allowed to finish the game following his altercation with Kennedy, the NFL later handed him a two-game suspension for violating league policy.

The policy in question states that "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 is said to be appealing the suspension, which will rule him out of the rest of the regular season and also poses a loss of $45 million in guarantees on the contract he signed earlier in the year.