Seahawks’ DK Metcalf explains why he got ejected in Green Bay: ‘Tired of losing’
DK Metcalf was as succinct as the Seahawks’ offense was awful.
Why did Seattle’s record-breaking, Pro Bowl wide receiver get himself ejected Sunday, the ugly on top of all else ugly in Seattle’s 17-0 loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field?
“I got into a fight,” Metcalf said down the hall from a visitors’ locker room full of equally frustrated Seahawks.
Why did he get into a fight with Packers safety Henry Black with 83 seconds and no hope left for the Seahawks, with the score 17-0? Why did he grab Black’s face mask and yank on it following a play during garbage time?
“Tired of losing,” Metcalf said.
He’s got company.
The Seahawks are 3-6. They squandered holding three-time NFL most valuable player Aaron Rodgers and the Packers to three points for three quarters. They wasted the division-leading Arizona Cardinals getting whacked 34-10 at home by Carolina, blowing a chance to move within 3 1/2 games of the division lead with eight games to play.
Seattle, specifically Russell Wilson’s and Metcalf’s offense being awful, face-planted from one game out of a playoff spot in the NFC to tied for next-to-last in the conference. Only winless Detroit has a worse record than the Seahawks.
So, yeah, Metcalf can be excused for being tired of losing.
But this wasn’t the first time he has committed personal fouls and unsportsmanlike acts well after plays this season. He was doing it when the Seahawks were 1-1, back in September. Heck, the 23-year-old was doing it in the first game.
The personal foul he got late in Sunday’s game was his seventh penalty this season. He’s been called for taunting, woofing at an opposing Colts player while teammate Gerald Everett was scoring a touchdown Sept. 12 in Seattle’s opening-game win at Indianapolis. He’s jawed and pushed with Tennessee Titans defensive backs following plays, in week three during the Seahawks overtime loss.
The week after that game, the franchise record-setter last season with 1,303 yards receiving responded with the best day of his season: six catches, 107 yards and a touchdown. Yet the Seahawks still lost, at Minnesota.
Two weeks ago, Metcalf got an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty for jumping onto the passing of the goal-post support at Lumen Field, like a Koala bear. That was his Antonio Brown-like celebration of scoring one of his two touchdowns against Jacksonville in Seattle’s home win.
Now comes the ejection, the first of Metcalf’s three-year career.
It came on a day when Metcalf and fellow top receiver Tyler Lockett had just five catches and 49 of Seattle’s 208 yards between them. Metcalf had three receptions on eight targets by Wilson, for 26, insignificant yards. Lockett had two catches on eight targets for 23 yards.
Asked why the struggles for Seattle’s offense, Metcalf said: “We’ve got to get the ball to our play-makers.”
Coach Pete Carroll and Wilson have talked to Metcalf this season about avoiding acting out and engaging opponents after plays.
What does Wilson have to say about his young receiver’s latest outburst?
“I don’t think DK is emotional. I think he’s passionate,” Wilson said. “He loves his craft. ...
“You’d rather him be passionate than not. That’s the good thing about DK, he always wants to do everything right. ...That’s why I love playing with him...
“We have a good football team. We’re not going to get discouraged. We have a lot of football left. It doesn’t feel great...but the thing is the sun will rise tomorrow. We will go back to work with a great mentality.
“That’s the only option.”
This story was originally published November 14, 2021 at 6:52 PM.
