Before the Indianapolis Colts played the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5, underperforming wide receiver DK Metcalf decided to spout off and attempt a bit of disrespect. The mercurial wideout pretended he didn't know who cornerback Sauce Gardner was. He did, of course, but now he knows better.
Metcalf was asked what he needed to be "mindful of" when facing Gardner. Metcalf answered, "Who?... I don't worry about what a DB does well. They gotta guard me."
Indeed, that did happen on Sunday. Metcalf's team won, but he didn't do much to help. He has been a relative bust for the Steelers, based on how much he is getting paid versus his overall production, and he was in Week 5, too.
Steelers' DK Metcalf is likely fully aware of the Indianapolis Colts' Sauce Gardner now
He was targeted four times and caught three of those passes, but only for 12 yards. Against Gardner specifically, Metcalf was targeted twice and caught one pass for nine yards. The receiver would have caught the other pass against Gardner, except Metcalf dropped it. Certainly not the first dropped pass of the wideout's career, and it won't be his last either.
On Metcalf's two other receptions, one was against linebacker Austin Ajiake and went for zero yards, and the other was against rookie linebacker CJ Allen, and that catch was for only three yards. For the big and fast Metcalf to average four yards per catch in a game is ridiculous.
Everything about him says he should be an explosive receiver who consistently scares defensive coordinators. He is capable of that, sure, but not game in and game out, and his inconsistency has been one of his biggest issues.
He also has too high of self-esteem as a player. He wanted off the Seattle Seahawks roster in the 2025 offseason to go to a team with a better chance of winning the Super Bowl. He was traded to the Steelers, and then in the season that followed, Seattle won the title. The Seahawks were better off without DK Metcalf.
After joining Pittsburgh, he signed an extension that was worth as much as $132 million over four seasons. In his first season with Pittsburgh, however, he had a career-low 850 yards receiving, and a second-lowest career mark of 59 catches. He might have achieved more, but he was suspended for two games after getting into an altercation with a fan during a game.
Not that he is the Indianapolis Colts' worry, of course. But maybe next time Metcalf runs his mouth, he should think twice. Sauce Gardner is better at his position than Metcalf is at his. Instead of trying to disrespect other players, maybe Metcalf should focus on improving his route-running.
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