The Pomp And Joe Show
1 PM: Why wasn't there a bigger security presence near Metcalf, his actions will void part of his contract
23 Dec 2025
Chapter 1: What incident involving DK Metcalf is the focus of this episode?
They are infinitely more qualified and credible to speak on NFL technique and in-helmet experience than someone like me or you. They aren't reporters, so they're not super in tune with all the ways that you need to kind of vet things.
situations like this so yeah I mean it is it's a bizarre situation with so many different you know hemispheres or semi-circles in the Venn diagram like I've also seen people too I'm you know getting up in arms about the video that the fan I guess was saying that's the goal baby that's the goal I could see that from the press box with my binoculars he was pumping his fist and um you know cheering as he was going up the steps at the end of the first half but
again, that doesn't mean that you can just lose your composure and essentially let the guy win if you're DK. So I also wonder too, Joe, I don't think we brought up this part of it as well. And someone was, I think Alan Saunders may have asked Mike Tomlin about it today during all of this. DK does have a history of losing his temper and lashing out on the field with opponents and other players.
This is obviously something different, but I do wonder if the fine and unsportsmanlike conduct history here played at all into the NFL's decision too. Brian Backo of the Post-Gazette. Should DK just have addressed this at his locker right away and nipped it in the bud right there? Well, I mean, yes. My initial answer is always yes. At least stand up and face the music and take accountability.
If you fumbled a ball or threw an interception or, in this case, shoved a fan, it doesn't really help to let it fester, in my opinion. But I guess I'm partial because I'm someone who's there to cover the game and chronicle it. Other people who have other responsibilities within the NFL ecosystem may feel differently about it.
And, you know, I hate to draw the parallel because, again, we don't know what was said. We don't know if the guy muttered something under his breath that DK heard. But in the Jalen Ramsey, Jamar Chase situation, which was on the field, it's between two combatants in the game, not a player and a fan.
But he was right there at his locker as soon as we went in there postgame and said, you're going to see.
i will be vindicated he spit on me the video will show it and he was correct uh we all saw shortly thereafter so yeah i think the other gap in this yeah go ahead joe no i'm sorry finished i'm sorry i was gonna say the other gap in this is was it tom pelissero who reported they they had that incident a year ago in detroit with the lions and the seahawks yeah could there be some room for interpretation that the guy
said something racially or an epithet towards DK's mom then, and DK saw him again, and it bubbled back up because we're not seeing any audio evidence of that this year. That's another kind of unanswered lead here for me. Yeah, I mean, if you're DK, I would think you'd want to get that out right after the game, honestly, before it starts to blow up and before other guys speak for you.
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Chapter 2: How did Tomlin address the security presence during the Metcalf incident?
See you guys. You too, buddy. Thank you, Brian. Read Brian Backo's stuff at postgazette.com. Excellent reporter. Excellent writer. All right. The DK Metcalf topic is number one. It's 1A, as they say. So have at it here. I mean, it's still we haven't heard from him yet. So the part about what was said or I don't even know with the NFL if that's relevant.
It's what was done that is apparently relevant here or based on precedent relevant. Like they didn't care what anybody said in the Lamar Jackson Buffalo Bills fan fracas moment. Now, Frakus is too strong of a word. Shoving match earlier this year. They cared that a fan reached onto the field and pushed a player in the helmet. And they basically said, if that happens, you can do whatever you want.
James Harrison. Cleveland Browns fan runs on the field. He body slams him. That's not on Harrison. That's on the fan. Let's talk about all this next. 412-928-9370 as we await the league's decision on James Harrison. In the meantime... Lots and lots of treats at FanDuel.
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Leg, I should say leg requirements and max wager amount. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. All right, DK Metcalf, the story of the day. as we await for a ruling from, I guess, Roger Goodell on whether this two-game suspension that DK and his reps have appealed will be upheld, reduced? Canceled altogether? We'll see.
This was Mike Tomlin in his news conference today on, you know, various questions about DK and the suspension. And Tomlin said right from the start he wanted to be very careful about it because he knows that there are legal ramifications now that the fan, Ryan Kennedy, I believe is the name, Sean? Yes, I believe that's correct.
Has retained representation here and come out and said he didn't say the things he was accused of saying, not by Metcalf himself, but via podcasts from James Harrison and Chad Johnson, formerly Chad Ochocinco. So now they're wrapped up in this story in a big way. This was Tomlin.
When you talked to DK Metcalf, did he explain in your conversation what caused him to go over Costa Fin and why did he do it? He did explain to me why he did what he did, and I certainly don't condone the behavior, but I support DK, and I really don't have a lot to add. other than what I just told you.
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Chapter 3: What are the potential financial consequences for DK Metcalf?
And certainly I've heard more recently that there might be legal ramifications. And so I better be careful about what I say and how I say it. I'm sure you guys got a lot of questions. I understand that. But that's just the posture I'm in as I sit here today with so many components of this thing yet to be resolved.
usual situation, but does the team have any protocols to sort of prevent or to monitor, make sure players don't kind of go over there and have that sort of interaction? Exactly. So is that a yes or no? Do you have protocols or not? We certainly may, but I might not be privy to it because my eyes and attention is what's going on on the field. But we have a top-notch security group, etc.
Everybody in the National Football League does. It's not only from an organization's perspective, but it's a global component to it as well. From a football perspective, what do you lose if DK is not available specifically this week? One man's misfortune is another man's opportunity. All right. There's a lot here.
And if you want to weigh in 412-928-9370, I'll circle back to where I started today, which was there's not a whole ton of precedent for this. There's no comparison to Lamar Jackson because Lamar Jackson, the fan initiated physical contact, reached over the railing at a game in Buffalo and aggressively pushed Lamar Jackson's head forward.
And Jackson pushed the fan back, and the league didn't do a thing to Lamar and suspended the fan until further notice from games. The league absolutely did the right thing there. You as a fan have no right to enter the arena, even if it's just with your hands and arms to push somebody. That's entering the arena. You have no right to do that.
And if you do that, a player has a right, I think, and it seems like the NFL thinks, to basically respond in kind physically. So that comparison just doesn't work because that was the fan initiating physical contact and confrontation. And this one, it was Metcalf who initiated it and ended it. The jackass with the blue wig didn't do anything physically.
I think he was clearly there to goad Metcalf into doing something, and I guess he got his wish. And he seems like a pretty sad, pathetic excuse for a human being, I think. You would agree with that, Sean? Yeah, I cannot in any way relate to what goes through some people's minds when they do stuff like that.
Having said that, I'm with Tomlin and others when he says, I don't condone the behavior from Metcalf. Tomlin saying it's part of our world that we live in. And this isn't him saying it. This is me interpreting it. Idiots are going to talk. The more apt comparison is Shaq Lawson from the Bills two years ago. In Philly, defensive end.
Him and his teammates later saying that a fan was using, you know, threatening language to the players and their families. And they went over, a bunch of them went over to confront the fan. Shaq Lawson pushed the fan very clearly on video. Absolutely nothing happened to him. Not one penny of a fine.
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Chapter 4: What historical incidents are referenced in relation to player-fan interactions?
DK should have said something early in the game or before the game that, hey, I had a problem here. Was it last year? Did Pellicero report? Yeah, I believe so. I had a problem here last year with this guy. And there was just no real security there. 412-928-9370. Your thoughts on all this? Let's hit the phone lines, Sean. All right, we'll go out to Newcastle with Double D. What's up, Double D?
Joe, thank you for taking my call, man. I love the work that you do. Thank you. I have some hopefully interesting perspective from the security side of things. Yeah. My uncle had worked security at Three Rivers and Heinz Field for the Steelers games. As a kid, I loved to go down there and see him on the field.
We were talking yesterday about what happened in Detroit, and he was shocked about the lack of communication and the lack of presence from the security team. He had talked to me about, you know, they had like this 30-foot rule. When any time that there was an issue between whether it was a player or someone in the stands, It was like a 30 foot rule.
There was security within 30 feet so they could be an earshot and converge when that they when they would sense something like this was happening. Well, let me ask you before you go on, when you say lack of presence, are you talking about in general before this incident occurred? Because it sure seemed to me like like that area wasn't being patrolled properly before that.
Or are you talking about once things started to escalate? That's what he was talking about. He said, I couldn't believe how there was really no security presence in that area.
And then just the lack, you know, he had told me, he said, anytime you have a player that comes with even a few feet of the stands, by now they've heard this back and forth and they're paying attention and they're communicating even with security in the stands to make sure that number one, they're watching to secure the field and the player, but also to make sure that they have
They have identified if there's somebody that throws a projectile or whoever that blue wig guy was that was causing the issue. They're there right there talking and feeling this out to make sure that they're protecting the field and protecting the player.
He was shocked that nobody, as this was happening, was making a beeline to get over there and get into what was going on so that they could report back. you know, to the team or to whomever, you know, about what was happening and why they were letting this go on to the point where a player was able to go up and touch someone.
Now, my uncle did say, he said, the worst part of security is these touchdowns when they're jumping into the end zones and the Lambo leaps and that kind of thing. But he said, when they're around the stadium, for there not to be somebody within 20 or 30 feet and multiple security there when this happened was shocking to him. Well, here's the thing. Here's the thing, though.
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Chapter 5: How did the discussion evolve around the role of security in NFL games?
accusations being made against him and what he said. And the only place that I've seen that these accusations are coming from are from James Harrison and Chad Ochocinco, Chad Johnson. That's the only two places I've seen. And they both said they talked to Metcalf. Did Metcalf want them to speak for him and go public? Are there...
recountings totally 100 accurate man they suddenly become involved in this right you would have to think if he told those guys and i'm assuming they do like weekly podcasts is that i mean just about every player former players on some sort of podcast now yeah if metcalf is telling those guys specifically he had to have known at some point they're going to get that out there yeah right probably
Probably, and that could become a problem unless it's proven somehow. But aside from that, we're going to get, or may be involved in that, but I think aside from that, the league's going to come down with a ruling here.
And again, for the hundredth time, if I'm Metcalf and his reps, I'm simply saying, you didn't do anything to a player who pushed a fan two years ago who was getting verbally assaulted, but you're going to suspend me for two games? What are you doing? Where's the precedent for this? We'll take one more, Sean. All right. We will go to Donald. Hey, Donald. Hello. How are you? Love the show.
Love the show. Thank you, sir. What's up? I just called in to make a comment on the Metcalf situation. First of all, he really shouldn't have did what he did, no matter what the situation is. He took his time to go over to the fan and There's fans everywhere in the stadium screaming, yelling, saying things they shouldn't say.
But he picked that particular one to go over to that player and did what he did. He should have kept his hands to himself. And I understand what you're saying about these other people don't get suspended for doing these kind of things. Why is he? The league has got to start somewhere and start setting grounds. From now on, this is what has to happen, and this is what will happen.
So if you want to have your behavior go on like you're going on, these are now the rules on what's going to happen from this day forward. They're getting paid millions and millions of dollars to play a sport. Who cares what these fans say to them? They should laugh at the fans. I'm getting paid big money to play a sport.
That's easy to say, but if someone's 10 feet away, and I'm not saying this happened in this situation, but this is what Lawson and the Bills said happened in Philly, and someone is violently threatening my wife and my kids, that's probably going to get my attention. Wouldn't get yours? Oh, sure it will. Sure it will.
But we had Miles Garrett, and I believe that's who it was, and Rudolph, saying that he called him a name. Later on, it come out he didn't say that. Right. That's that's separate from the fact that this should just be, you know, something you just blow off and don't pay attention to.
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Chapter 6: What insights were shared regarding the legal implications of the Metcalf situation?
Fan text line brought to you by Edgar Snyder and Associates, a personal injury law firm, where they always say there's never a fee unless we get money for you. Listen to the Pomp and Joe Show on demand on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever you get your podcasts. So we'll take a couple more calls. This is my last day until Friday when myself and intern Dom will be in for the afternoon, guys.
How about that? That's going to be something. That's going to be gigantic. Do you know who's filling in for you tomorrow, by the way? Who? Josh Roundtree. He's good. Yes. He's real good. Taking a day away from the golf course. Yeah. No relation to former NBA player Dan Roundtree. Remember him? I'm not sure that. They might be. I've seen him play basketball before. They could be related.
And we have some other things to wrap up, including the Penguins with some big games ahead. Some other Steelers. Tomlin was great on Derek Harmon and even greater on Miles Garrett. We'll talk about that coming up as well. Fan Hotline presented by Sullivan Super Service, Pittsburgh's trusted plumbing and HVAC provider for over 50 years.
50-minute mark on the fan brought to you by South Hills Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Route 19 in Peters Township. Fan weather brought to you by Meyers Lager, Pittsburgh's choice for affordable legal solutions. Rain throughout the day, but warmer on a high of Bud Dupree, 48. What's cooking brought to you by our local Geico rep, Tim Hester. Thank you, Mr. Hester. Very kindly.
One thing we really didn't talk about today. was this sort of bombshell story by Jonathan Jones. And just, Sean, if you could keep one eye out for Twitter, because I've had the experience at the last second on this show, the PM guys suddenly have this breaking news that happened at the end of the show. It's uncanny. So we'll keep an eye out for Metcalf suspension news.
Jonathan Jones, CBSSports.com, DK Metcalf suspension voids $45 million in guarantees. Now, here's what that means. First of all, If the suspension is upheld, he's already losing half a million dollars for what happened the other day. Now, Jones reveals that monies that were guaranteed to Metcalf each of the next two seasons because of a suspension of any kind through the league are null and void.
So what does that mean? Well, his guaranteed salary, once guaranteed of $25 million for next year, is no longer guaranteed. Obviously, he's going to come back next year, so that doesn't seem to be a big deal, assuming he's not, you know, God forbid, injured badly in a game here. But that's $25 million that was previously guaranteed. That's probably coming to him.
But as Jones writes, the voided guarantees are more important in 27 when $20 million in salary has been injury protected. That's no longer protected. So Metcalf's going to have to perform and stay healthy now to keep his money. All because of this. So... Man, his team better work hard to get that reduced to a non-suspension. I'll tell you that.
There is a hell of a lot of money on the line for him, potentially, in this situation. In the meantime, let's hear Tomlin on Miles Garrett. This was great stuff, if you have that, Sean. Dylan Cook to get some help if Miles Garrett's on the other side. How much help has he been getting in these last few years? Everybody gets help because Miles Garrett.
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Chapter 7: What are the implications of player behavior and fan interactions in sports?
I just finished watching San Francisco tape. Trent Williams got help, and so certainly he's going to get help, but certainly everybody has gotten help, and it had to slow down the train. He still has got 22 sacks. I imagine most of those are not one-on-one plays, and so we're going to do our due diligence, but we're not going to act like or pretend that we're reinventing the wheel here.
We better put schematics around him. He better play well. And we better stay out of one-dimensional passing circumstances. And you still might not stop the bomb from going off. That's been how impactful this guy's play has been this year. So he's probably going to set this all-time sack record against the Steelers. I think that's a decent bet. I mean, what does he have to lose at this point?
He could just rush the passer every single play. And the other guy that Tomlin was very good on was Derek Harmon. Sometimes you don't hear this kind of effusive praise directed toward rookies, but Harmon was an absolute monster in that game. Video has surfaced of him just throwing around Panay Sewell, who might be the best tackle in all of football.
Harmon went Mean Joe Green, like early Mean Joe on him. Let's hear Tomlin's characterization of Derek Harmon. to run away from Cam Hayward a lot this season. And in this game when they did it, it seemed like you guys really stepped up, Keanu Benton, Derek Harmon. What have you seen from their efforts to improve in the run defense and where they act at the end of that effort?
I've read some of the narrative about Derek Harmon and his run game exploits. And so I'm not gonna do anything to diminish that. Maybe he is just the monster that the narrative says he is. That's great stuff. Maybe he's just the monster that the narrative says he is. He's looking like it. I'll tell you that. I mean, I wrote that day they would regret passing on Jackson Dart.
The Jackson Dart story is starting to flop, maybe because they changed coaches. And the Derek Harmon story is starting to get better and better and better. He is a monster. Thank you, Sean. And happy holidays to everybody out there. Merry Christmas. I'm going to not be here the next two days. Josh Roundtree will be here. And then I'll be back on Friday with my friend intern Dom.
Usually things get pretty crazy when it's myself and Dom. That should be fun. That'll be the PM show, by the way, on Friday. Talk to you then. See you, Sean. Thanks for everything. Happy holidays, Joe.
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