Superstar wide receiver D.K. Metcalf reportedly rejected a trade to a rebuilding AFC team before he was sent to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Two weeks ago, the Steelers acquired D.K. Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a 2025 second-round pick. The Steelers then handed Metcalf a four-year contract extension worth $132 million.
Metcalf had been the subject of trade rumors since last year. The rise of 2023 first-round pick Jaxson Smith-Njigba made Metcalf expendable in Seattle, and they wound up using the free cap space to sign ex-Los Angeles Rams star Cooper Kupp to a three-year deal.
Speaking on WEEI’s “Jones and Keefe” program, Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston reported that the New England Patriots had interest in D.K. Metcalf. However, the two-time Pro Bowler had no desire to come to Foxborough:
“I’ve come to find out that (the Patriots had interest). They had conversations. An offer was not made, that’s correct. But I’ve kind of been redirected from folks outside of New England. They were in on him. He didn’t want to come here.”
Incredibly, the Patriots have struck out time and time again on landing big-named stars in the post-Tom Brady era. Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Matthew Stafford (in 2021) and Aaron Rodgers (2023) also rejected trades here, as did San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk a year ago.
But if Metcalf’s priority is to win (on top of getting paid, which he did), it’s no wonder he wanted Pittsburgh over New England. The Steelers haven’t had a losing season since 2003, and the Patriots have missed the playoffs in four of the last five years.
D.K. Metcalf Will Elevate Steelers Offense
As good as George Pickens has been, he hasn’t exactly been a superstar in Steel City. Truth be told, Pittsburgh hasn’t had an all-world wideout since the mercurial Antonio Brown last played there in 2018.
Pittsburgh keeps churning out winning seasons under Mike Tomlin despite lacking game-changing quarterbacks and offensive weapons. With Metcalf now leading the way, the Steelers may finish with a top-10 offense if they could just find a quarterback.
