D.K. Metcalf picked the perfect time to have his breakout game in Black & Gold. In Week 14, under the bright lights of a divisional showdown in Baltimore, Metcalf delivered his most dominant performance as a Steeler - and possibly one of the most gutsy of his career - helping Pittsburgh pull off a crucial 27-22 win over the Ravens.
Metcalf was everywhere. He racked up a season-high 12 targets, hauled in seven catches, and torched the Ravens’ secondary for 148 yards - his highest single-game total in nearly three years and the fourth-best mark of his career. And here’s the kicker: he did it while apparently battling through a stomach illness that flared up shortly after the game.
According to the team, Metcalf began experiencing stomach pains on the flight back to Pittsburgh. Out of caution, the Steelers kept him overnight in Baltimore and had him evaluated at a local hospital before he flew home the next day. There’s no official word on whether he was already feeling symptoms during the game, but if he was, that only adds to the legend of what he pulled off on Sunday.
From the opening drive, Metcalf made it clear he came to play. He set the tone early with a 52-yard bomb down the sideline from Aaron Rodgers - a statement play that sparked the Steelers’ offense and reminded everyone just how dangerous this duo can be when they’re in sync. Metcalf’s emotion after that catch said it all: this was personal.
And he didn’t stop there. Metcalf added chunk plays of 28 and 42 yards, turning in the kind of explosive, field-flipping performance that Pittsburgh had been waiting for.
His ability to stretch the field forced Baltimore to adjust, and that opened up opportunities for the rest of the offense. It’s no coincidence that Rodgers had one of his sharpest outings of the season with Metcalf in full flight.
This wasn’t just a big game - it was a throwback. Metcalf hadn’t seen 12 targets since September 2024.
He hadn’t caught seven passes in a game since November of that year. And he hadn’t cracked 140 receiving yards since 2022.
For a player who’s been relatively quiet by his standards this season, this was a loud reminder of what he’s capable of.
The timing couldn’t have been better. With the win, the Steelers improved to 7-6 and reclaimed the top spot in the AFC North. They now control their playoff fate with four games to go - and if Metcalf is rounding into form, that’s a huge development for a team trying to make a late-season push.
Through 13 games, Metcalf now sits at 52 receptions (tied for 41st in the league), 753 receiving yards (22nd), and five touchdown catches (tied for 22nd). Those numbers don’t jump off the page - but Sunday’s performance did. And if it’s a sign of things to come, Pittsburgh’s offense just got a whole lot scarier.
Whether he was battling through a stomach bug or not, Metcalf showed up when his team needed him most. And in a rivalry game with playoff implications hanging in the balance, that’s the kind of performance that earns respect in any locker room.