Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf made headlines with an altercation involving a Lions fan during their match against the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

The video, captured live by CBS sports cameras, quickly went viral. He was caught shoving a guy from the side. Some fans were confused about how things happened in a snap.

What Occurred Between DK Metcalf And a Lion's Fan?

DK Metcalf Swings at Lions Fan in Shocking Ford Field DK Metcalf Swings at Lions Fan in Shocking Ford Field
NFL

Video evidence indicated that Metcalf walked towards the stands and approached the sideline area where a Lions fan was leaning on the railings and lingering around the area with Steelers team items. Even though the exact dialogue between Metcalf and the fan is not known, things escalated quickly.

Metcalf looked upset and extended his arm at the fan. Even though he did not throw a clean punch, he was noticed promptly.

A CBS sideline reporter, Tracy Wolfson, said during the live coverage that the fan said something that seemed to upset Metcalf. Wolfson said:

"He came over because the fan in the stands was holding a '4' Pittsburgh jersey, he went over and the fan said something to him. Obviously, Metcalf did not like what he said and you saw the swipe there. No Steelers came over to him and mentioned anything, we'll see if the league takes action, guys."

Later, the Detroit Free Press was able to identify the fan as Ryan Kennedy of Pinckney, Michigan. Speaking to reporters, the fan explained that he was "shaken but okay" in the encounter.

The fan went on to explain the events that took place by saying, "The whole thing started with me using Metcalf's full legal name, DeKaylin Zecharius Metcalf, and it obviously did not sit well with the Steelers' star."

Kennedy reported that DK Metcalf grabbed him and ripped his shirt. However, despite what happened, he was not thrown out of the stadium. Lions officials reported that they were indeed able to talk with the fan after the incident, but did not remove him from the stands.

Is the NFL Liable For This Incident?

This lack of consequential repercussions brought some confusion to the viewers.

According to the NFL, the referees lacked the power to penalize and throw Metcalf out of the game since there was no flag thrown on the scene. This meant that the league's replay and New York offices did not have the right to punish Metcalf.

CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore clarified that referees do not have the power to retroactively take a player out of action because of his behavior. That being said, the matter was to be investigated by the compliance officials.