DK Metcalf Goes Full Ironman in Steelers-Ravens Clash, Delivers Big on Offense and Special Teams
BALTIMORE - When the Steelers and Ravens meet, the rulebook tends to get a little looser, the hits get a little harder, and the unexpected becomes routine. But even by AFC North standards, seeing DK Metcalf line up on punt coverage was a curveball no one saw coming.
Late in the game, following an Aaron Rodgers incompletion on third-and-7 deep in their own territory, Metcalf didn’t head to the bench like usual. Instead, the 6-foot-4, 230-pound wideout stayed on the field, ready to play gunner on the punt team - something that’s usually reserved for backup defensive backs and special teams aces, not Pro Bowl receivers.
Why was Metcalf out there? According to him, it was a spur-of-the-moment decision.
“Skow was on the sideline saying his finger was hurting, so I told him, ‘I got you,’” Metcalf explained after the game. “I saw him run out on the field and I went to the other side.”
That impromptu substitution left everyone - including his teammates - confused for a moment.
“That was crazy,” said Steelers safety Jabrill Peppers. “I’m like, ‘(Does) he think it’s, like, third down still?’
I’m wondering what’s going on. … (He was like) ‘I know!
I know!’ Alright, f--- it, come on.
Ben was just as shocked as I was, but we seen it in his eyes. We (were) like, ‘Alright.’
Ben just went to the other side.”
Metcalf, who said he had one rep as a gunner back in college, clearly wasn’t in his usual element - but he was ready to go. According to Pro Football Reference, he’s credited with just two career special teams tackles in the NFL. Still, in a rivalry game like Steelers-Ravens, sometimes instinct and toughness matter more than assignment sheets.
“He wasn’t supposed to be out there,” admitted cornerback James Pierre. “I should’ve taken it, but I’ll take the rap for it.”
Even if his special teams cameo was unorthodox, Metcalf more than made up for it with his performance on offense. He had his best game in a Steelers uniform, hauling in seven catches for 148 yards in a 27-22 win that kept Pittsburgh’s playoff hopes alive and well. He took a hard shot at one point that led to a precautionary hospital visit postgame, but the early word was that it was just that - precautionary.
Metcalf’s outing was a reminder of what he brings when he’s fully engaged - a rare blend of size, speed, and physicality that few defensive backs can match. And on a day when the Steelers needed every ounce of grit and playmaking to escape Baltimore with a win, Metcalf delivered - even when it meant strapping on a different hat and sprinting downfield on punt coverage.
In a rivalry built on toughness and unpredictability, DK Metcalf just added another chapter.