How significant has DK Metcalf's suspension been for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the NFL? According to Cris Collinsworth, the importance can't be overstated.
The Steelers hosted the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18, with the winner going to the playoffs as the AFC North champion and the loser going home. As the Pittsburgh offense was struggling in the first half, Mike Tirico noted that "it's been a slow start offensively for the Steelers."
"It has been," an agreeing Collinsworth said. "We just basically have to go back to the fact that without Metcalf, what is this team going to be? We haven't seen them be good yet. They're not good tonight. This is five quarters without him, that they have not been good. This ends up being the most consequential suspension, maybe in a long, long time, anyway. I'll say that."
There seemed to be little doubt that the Steelers would win the division after Week 16's win over the Detroit Lions. That gave them a two-game lead over the Ravens with only two games to play. But during that game, Metcalf was involved in a physical confrontation with a fan in Detroit and was suspended for the final two games of the regular season.
The Pittsburgh offense struggled during a Week 17 loss to the Cleveland Browns. That game, coupled with Baltimore's 41-24 win over the Green Bay Packers, set up the winner-take-all Week 18 matchup.
So, is Collinsworth right about the significance of Metcalf's suspension? The Steelers have struggled offensively at times throughout the 2025 season, even with Metcalf in the lineup. That said, they scored 27, 28 and 29 points in the three games immediately before Metcalf's suspension. Given how much they've struggled since, the significance of the suspension can't be downplayed.