Overview
- Ryan Kennedy filed the lawsuit in Wayne County Circuit Court naming DK Metcalf, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Chad Johnson, Shay Shay Media, The Volume, and Ford Field Management.
- The suit centers on a Nightcap episode in which Johnson said he heard from Metcalf that Kennedy used racial and misogynistic slurs, an allegation Kennedy denies.
- Television footage from Dec. 21 shows Metcalf reaching into the stands and grabbing Kennedy, an incident that prompted a two-game NFL suspension for Metcalf.
- The complaint says media outlets including ESPN, Yahoo Sports, USA Today, and TMZ republished the podcast claims, leading to death threats and damage to Kennedy’s mortgage business.
- Counts include defamation plus assault and battery against Metcalf, negligence and premises-liability against Ford Field Management, and vicarious liability against the Steelers, with court-ordered retractions sought and no public responses reported as of Tuesday.