Overview
- Ryan Kennedy filed a $100 million lawsuit in Wayne County Circuit Court alleging defamation, assault and battery, negligence and premises-liability stemming from a Dec. 21 incident at Ford Field.
- The suit centers on statements from Chad Johnson on the Nightcap podcast, which cited a source wearing No. 4 and claimed Kennedy used racial and misogynistic slurs, assertions Kennedy denies.
- Kennedy says television video shows Metcalf reaching into the stands and grabbing his shirt collar without provocation, and notes the NFL later suspended Metcalf two games for initiating a physical confrontation with a fan.
- Defendants include DK Metcalf, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Shay Shay Media, All Time Sports (The Volume) and Ford Field Management, with claims that media republication by outlets spread the allegations widely.
- Kennedy alleges death threats, harassment and damage to his mortgage business, seeks public retractions through the same channels, and as of the reports the defendants had not publicly responded.