Steelers Screwed By Salty Former Browns Coach Who Quickly Shut Down DK Metcalf's Appeal

The Pittsburgh Steelers will officially be without wide receiver DK Metcalf for the remainder of the 2025 regular season. After getting into an altercation with a fan during the team's Week 16 contest versus the Detroit Lions, the league made the decision to suspend him for two games. After an appeal, the offensive playmaker was not successful in, at the bare minimum, reducing the punishment to missing just one matchup. It's possible that the organization clinches the AFC North before even playing again, but if the division does come down to Week 18 versus the Baltimore Ravens, not having Metcalf would be a devastating loss.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will hear player appeals from time to time, or end up appointing a designee to do so. In this case, Goodell was not the individual that listened to the wide receiver plead his case regarding what happened on Sunday in Detroit. Chris Palmer, a long-time NFL coach, was tasked with making the decision on whether or not something should be altered with Metcalf's punishment.

The AFC North was officially formed in 2002, but prior to that, the Steelers played in the AFC Central. The Cleveland Browns weren't always based out of Ohio as the franchise moved to Baltimore for the 1996 campaign, only to quickly be moved back to Cleveland for the 1999 campaign, all while playing in the AFC Central. That year, as well as 2000, the Browns' head coach was none other than Palmer.

It's a bit ironic that the Steelers are set to face the Browns in Week 17 with a potential division-clinching win on the line. It's truly impossible to know if Palmer's former competitive relationship with Pittsburgh played any sort of role in his decision to uphold the suspension of Metcalf, but one would think that Goodell wouldn't appoint someone that was a former rival.

Former Steelers offensive lineman Ramon Foster often hears appeals, and the level of bias he may have toward Pittsburgh is no different than the level of disdain that Palmer may have toward the Steel City. It's an interesting situation, and definitely interesting that Goodell would designate someone who could potentially fuel conspiracy theories.

There is no rhyme or reason for why Goodell picks someone to act as an official during a hearing, but picking Palmer in this situation doesn't make a whole lot of sense. He was the head coach of the Browns at a time, and Cleveland is on the schedule in Week 17 for the Steelers. It doesn't exactly scream fair.

Metcalf's suspension is about more than just 2025. He also could have had over $40 million in guarantees voided because of the language in his contract. While that seems like a crazy number, there have already been reports that the 2026 cash that he is expecting will be rolling through. The team has no intention of moving on from him anytime soon, per Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Pittsburgh will now hope for a Ravens loss in Week 17, or a win over the Browns to clinch the AFC North. Regardless, the only way fans will see Metcalf on the field again soon is if the Steelers get into the postseason.

Steelers Hoping Suspension Doesn't Come Back To Bite Them

Despite the optimism in the Steel City, Pittsburgh has not yet clinched a playoff berth. A Baltimore win over the Green Bay Packers will make the Browns game on Sunday that much more nerve-racking. The hope is that Metcalf will be fresh and ready to go for a home playoff game, but a former Browns coach was given the duty of lessening the wide receiver's suspension; that in and of itself seems a bit odd.

Do you think that the Steelers were expecting Metcalf's suspension to be reduced at all? Let us know in the comments below!

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