Even though things ended on a sour note between DK Metcalf and the Seattle Seahawks, he bid his former team an emotional goodbye: “No matter where I go, I’ll always carry the 206 with me.” But looks like that courtesy was only for the city. Landing all the way from the NFC West to the AFC North with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the star WR has his “competitive” mode on. Like they say, ‘Everything is fair in love and war,’ Metcalf is treating his upcoming homecoming certainly as a war. 

Drafted in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft, Metcalf has spent six years in Seattle. In many ways, the team made him into the top receiver that he is today. He also acknowledged that in his farewell message, writing, “You’ve given me so much, including the chance to play the game I love.”  

While appearing on a recent episode of ‘Not Just Football with Cam Heyward,’ Metcalf’s teammate, Calvin Austin, revealed that the wide receiver didn’t hesitate in leaking his former team’s secrets to strategize for Week 2. “He already sent out the scouting report. That just shows you what type of guy DK is, though. He’s a true pro. Like, he legit, even last week, the Monday he sent out the scouting report of all the corners. What they are good at, their strengths, weaknesses, what routes are good against, like he does all that.” Austin said. But is this really about defeating his old team or helping his new one win? 

In Metcalf’s mind, it’s the latter. Taking a page from Aaron Rodgers‘ handbook, the wideout refused to give more juice to the media. “No extra juice this week,” he said. “It’s just another team on the schedule that just so happens to be playing the Pittsburgh Steelers. We’ve got to go out there and do everything that we can to try to win.” Those secrets are just another advantage against a team carrying strong offensive weapons. Defeating the Seahawks wouldn’t give a dose of adrenaline to Metcalf; it would simply be another step closer to the bigger picture: Super Bowl. 

However, HC Mike Tomlin holds a different opinion about the upcoming game and Metcalf. Of course, the star is competitive, but we are talking about his first team here—the one who drafted him. “Common sense would tell you that it certainly does,” the Steelers head coach said when asked about the significance of the game against the Seahawks for his new receiver. 

There was a lot of chatter about Pittsburgh’s Week 1 game against Rodgers’s former team. The quarterback even addressed the ‘revenge game’ narrative, but downplayed it, calling it just another game. However, there aren’t as many conversations about Metcalf about to face his debut team. That’s why he didn’t even admit it, and Tomlin doesn’t believe he would. Regardless, it would be understandable. “They drafted him. He played there a number of years,” added the head coach. 

DK Metcalf leads Steelers’ receiving corps in strong debut

Coming from the Seahawks, Metcalf was accustomed to a strong offense, and after Week 1, he proved that Pittsburgh has another strong offense. The two-time Pro Bowler became the leading receiver against the Jets. Even though it wasn’t his ultimate best, the Steelers still got the ‘Metcalf experience.’ In the thrilling clash, he recorded four receptions on seven targets along with 83 yards. He led the Steelers in both targets and receiving yards, showing he was the go-to option in the first game. 

Though he missed a few, most of his yardage came after the catch as the Steelers utilized his size and speed well. He ripped off gains of 31 and 23 yards in the first quarter, setting the early tone for the game. Another major contribution from him came in the third quarter, when he grabbed an 18-yard reception over the middle, flaunting his versatility. Of course, he wasn’t the only contributor. The offense also placed tight end Jonnu Smith and WR Austin to gain heavy target volume. 

To maximize Metcalf’s impact, the Steelers had to get him the ball in open space due to his inconsistencies with missing catches. His biggest play came on the screen pass, where he had great blocking ahead, allowing him to accelerate and obtain significant yardage upfield. Despite those ups and downs, he still had an impressive first game and now appears to be aiming to build on that against his former team next week at home.