The lawsuit names Metcalf, Chad Johnson, Ford Field, the Steelers and others as defendants


Getty Images

The Detroit Lions fan who had an altercation with Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf in Week 16 has filed a lawsuit seeking $100 million in damages, claiming he was physically harmed and was falsely accused of making racist comments towards Metcalf.

The lawsuit was filed in Wayne County Circuit Court by an attorney on behalf of Ryan Kennedy and names Metcalf, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Ford Field Management LLC, Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson, Shay Shay Media LLC and All Time Sports LLC as defendants.

Metcalf was suspended two games by the NFL for reaching into the stands and grabbing Kennedy during the altercation. Kennedy claimed the incident was sparked by him calling Metcalf by his full name. On Shannon Sharpe's "Nightcap" podcast, Chad Johnson claimed Kennedy used racial slurs in talking about Metcalf and his mother.

That report was picked up by numerous outlets, and Kennedy's attorneys claim the result was "branding Kennedy as a racist on a national scale and subjecting him to death threats, hate mail, and severe damage to his business reputation."

Kennedy held a press conference in December to deny those accusations and called on Metcalf to "correct the record" and publicly confirm he didn't use racist language. Metcalf declined to speak about the incident after his reinstatement following his suspension.

"Defendants have failed to issue any public retractions or corrections acknowledging that Plaintiff Kennedy never used racial slurs or hate speech," according to the lawsuit. "Defendant Metcalf, despite being the alleged source of the false and reckless statements, has refused to issue any public statement clarifying that Plaintiff Kennedy did not use racial slurs, thereby perpetuating the defamatory statements."

Source