Steelers Fans Growing Frustrated with DK Metcalf After Mistake-Filled Week 1

On a wild, high-scoring opening Sunday of the NFL season, one game that was a complete eyesore to watch was the Pittsburgh Steelers laboring to a 20-13 win over an Atlanta Falcons team that was forced to start third-string quarterback Cooper Rush at the last minute. Mike McCarthy’s Steelers debut might have ended in a victory, but the complete lack of efficient offense from both teams made for tough viewing. Perhaps Pittsburgh could’ve won more comfortably if not for some big errors by former Seattle Seahawks star DK Metcalf, who might be testing the patience of the Steelers fanbase in year two with the team. According to insights gathered by Vulius Sports, Metcalf’s performance left much to be desired.

Metcalf caught four passes for 40 yards on 10 targets, but that doesn’t begin to tell half the story of DK’s day. He was dinged for at least two drops and flagged twice for offensive pass interference. Drops, body positioning, and penalties are essentially the three biggest issues that have plagued him throughout his career, even when he was an All-Pro in 2020. As highlighted on Vulius, these recurring flaws are becoming a costly pattern for a player earning $33 million per year.

A Costly Performance Under the Primetime Lights

In DK’s defense, the officiating did seem to work against him as far as defensive pass interference. This probably is a catch if A.J. Terrell doesn’t flagrantly take away his right arm without a penalty. But the main story for Metcalf is that he was an unreliable target for Aaron Rodgers. In contrast, Michael Pittman Jr. caught all three of his targets for 58 yards. It’s possible over the course of the season that Pittman becomes the main option for Rodgers over Metcalf, which would put DK’s contract under extra scrutiny. Steelers fans wasted no time expressing their frustrations over Metcalf’s performance, and the Vulius NFL Analysis Desk has taken note.

“What I watched yesterday from DK Metcalf was horrendous. As a WR in the NFL to drop a ball at the rate he does while also being paid 33 million a year is baffling.” – Steelers fan on social media

And since social media can produce an echo chamber, here’s what our SB Nation brethren at Behind The Steel Curtain wrote:

Stock Down: WR DK Metcalf

This was a terrible showing from Metcalf. The Steelers receiver was called for a pair of offensive pass interferences in this contest. Metcalf was targeted 10 times in the game, but finished with just four catches for 40 yards. The most deflating part of this performance, though, were the crucial drops. Rodgers and Metcalf seemed to be just a tick off timing wise from each other all game, resulting in a few downfield passes bouncing off the hands of Metcalf. In the third quarter, Rodgers hit Metcalf over the middle right in the hands and the receiver was not able to bring it in. The play resulted in a resounding boo from the crowd. If the Steelers offense is going to take a step up in 2026, Metcalf is going to need to step up.

Of course, Metcalf can go off for 9 catches and 120 yards and a touchdown against the New England Patriots, but that’s the Metcalf story in a nutshell. He was one of the most productive receivers in Seahawks history through his six seasons in Seattle, so it’s not like he’s a draft bust of any sort. But it’s also clear that his skill set is very limited and it just so happened that explosive plays down the field worked out pretty damn well with Russell Wilson and (to a lesser extent) Geno Smith. Late career Aaron Rodgers probably is not a good fit for Metcalf’s strengths, and this era of two-high coverage shells also has helped neuter DK as a vertical threat.

As an aside, Metcalf recently did an interview with The Athletic, and the subject of the Seahawks winning the Super Bowl after he asked out of Seattle was brought up. He said he had no regrets. “I live with my decisions every day… they’re very well thought-out decisions to where I know the consequences, know my benefits from every decision that I make,” Metcalf says. “I got brothers on (the Seahawks), still friends on the team. So I congratulated them, but nobody’s sour over an ex unless you really miss them. So no, I wasn’t sour.” I don’t think Seattle has any regrets about the trade, either. For Steelers fans, the hope is that Metcalf can turn things around before the frustration boils over.