by: Alex Byington 4 hours ago _AlexByington
The infamous Detroit Lions fan that was assaulted by Pittsburgh Steelers receiver DK Metcalf during a game last season has filed a $100 million defamation lawsuit against Metcalf and others for statements suggesting he used racist language during the Dec. 21 encounter inside Ford Field.
Lawyers for Ryan Kennedy , the longtime Lions season ticketholder that was grabbed and shoved by Metcalf in the middle of the late December game in Detroit, announced the lawsuit on Monday, according to Detroit’s FOX 2 and the Detroit Free Press. The suit lists Metcalf, the Steelers organization, former NFL receiver Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson , and former NFL tight end Shannon Sharpe ‘s media company Shay Shay Media LLC as defendants for their role in spreading “defamatory and life-altering statements” against Kennedy, as well as Ford Field itself for one count of negligence, according to the Free Press.
“The false allegations, which were republished by major outlets including ESPN, Yahoo Sports, and USA Today, went viral across social media platforms with millions of views, 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’s lawyer Jon Marko told FOX 2 in a statement. “Despite Kennedy’s attorneys sending formal retraction demands to the defendants, none have issued public corrections or clarifications, allowing the false narrative to persist and continue causing harm to Kennedy’s personal and professional life.”
Metcalf was suspended two games by the NFL for the assault, which occurred when the Pro Bowl receiver left the Steelers sideline and approached Kennedy in the Ford Field stands in the middle of the game. After a brief exchance of words, Metcalf aggressively grabbed Kennedy by his shirt and then swatted at Kennedy’s face before walking back to the bench. CBS’s cameras caught the entire incident and aired it on national TV.