DK Metcalf says style won't change after the Seattle WR picks up another notable penalty

Updated Oct. 18, 2023 6:30 p.m. ET

Associated Press

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf says he has no intention of changing his style of play even after picking up another personal foul penalty last week against Cincinnati.

Metcalf took a defiant tone when asked Wednesday about picking up yet another significant penalty. This time it was an unnecessary roughness penalty blocking on Cincinnati’s Cam Taylor-Britt last week against the Bengals where Metcalf was flagged 35 yards from where the ball was snapped.

It was the fourth time this season Metcalf was given a 15-yard penalty — one was offsetting — and the second one where his actions weren’t directly related to the play.

Metcalf was flagged for taunting in Week 1 against the Rams following a block on Ahkello Witherspoon away from the play.

“I’m just going to leave that up to everybody else. I don’t feel like I was a problem or I need to make progress in a certain area,” Metcalf said. “Football is a violent sport and it’s my one opportunity to be violent on game day, so I’m just going to continue to do that.”

The latest penalty didn’t factor into the outcome of Seattle’s 17-13 loss to the Bengals, but it has become a talking point of whether Metcalf has let the frustration at times of not seeing the ball come his way seep into other actions on the field.

In this case, both Metcalf said after the game that he didn’t hear the whistle and that’s why he continued going at it with Taylor-Britt. But Metcalf finished with just four receptions for 69 yards despite being targeted nine times. There were also times in the game where Metcalf appeared open but quarterback Geno Smith couldn’t get the ball in his direction.

Metcalf has 22 catches through five games.

“He’s getting called. He knows. He’s got to clean it up and we have to make sure that we’re aware of how they’re calling stuff,” Seahawks Pete Carroll said. “He’s a very aggressive player and very physical and it stands out and he draws attention because of that. We’ve got to be cleaner. He knows it and he’s got to get it done.”

Penalties are not a new thing for Metcalf. He’s been flagged for various outbursts at times earlier in his career, including a 2021 game at Green Bay where he was ejected during a post-play scrum with a few Packers players.

Carroll said the team has a list showing who has the most penalties and Metcalf is currently near the top on the team. But Metcalf insists that’s not going to change his approach.

“I’m not going to shy away because he put a penalty board on the screen,” Metcalf said. “I’m going to continue to be me.”

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