The Pittsburgh Steelers should’ve been riding high after beating the Baltimore Ravens in a 27-22 win on Sunday. But the team’s celebration didn’t last long, as players received troubling news about star wide receiver DK Metcalf just hours later. Turns out, the two-time Pro Bowl didn’t fly back to Pittsburgh along with his squad because of a health complication. Check out Metcalf’s latest health update. 

“DK Metcalf took a hard shot during the game and the goal was to rule out any significant internal injuries,” NFL Network‘s Ian Rapoport wrote on X.

In his latest post on X, Rapoport revealed the purpose behind Metcalf’s hospital visit and its cause. According to him, the receiver’s status for the Monday Night Football matchup against the Miami Dolphins remains uncertain, with doctors saying it’s too early to know how the injury will affect him. Thankfully, the extra day before the game offers some hope. This update comes after Rapoport shared the real reason Metcalf stayed behind in Baltimore after the matchup. 

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“Metcalf was experiencing stomach pains on the flight and out of an abundance of caution, team medical personnel sent him to a nearby hospital,” Rapoport wrote on X. “He’s flying back to Pittsburgh today.”

Surprisingly, Metcalf showed no signs of discomfort while playing on Sunday despite the hits. In fact, he set the field on fire by delivering one of his strongest performances of the season. The 27-year-old finished the game with a season-high 148 yards on seven catches and 12 targets. Overall, the Steelers’ offense focused more on the passing game than on running the ball. They threw the ball 34 times compared to 17 rushes.

Now, the franchise’s playoff chances have jumped to 63.1% after its win against the Ravens, according to ESPN Analytics. Meanwhile, this was a crucial win for the Steelers, especially after the Bills handed them a humiliating loss last week. Questions about head coach Mike Tomlin’s leadership began to swirl, but Metcalf and others haven’t lost faith. 

DK Metcalf steps forward to support his coach

After their awful 26-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 13, the pressure on the Steelers was hitting the roof. But instead of falling apart, the players responded with a big win that reminded everyone why they’re still in the fight. Before his hospital visit, DK Metcalf shared his thoughts on the team’s mindset while praising Tomlin. 

“We knew not to pay attention to any outside noise,” he said, via ESPN. “Coach T is a great leader for us, and he’s done nothing but take the bullets for us. Even when we’re high and when we’re low, he’s always come in every day, has been steady and stayed the same, always motivated us to always play our best ball, and that’s what he did last week.”

Just like Metcalf, quarterback Aaron Rodgers backed his head coach during the post-game press conference. When asked what the emotional win meant after a week full of criticism aimed at Tomlin and players, the quarterback didn’t hold back. 

“It means maybe you guys will shut the hell up for a week,” he said. 

With this win, the Steelers proved they can withstand pressure, silence their critics, and shine in tough moments. Now, the team will host the Dolphins this week, and we hope they don’t lose this newfound confidence.