One of the biggest moves of the offseason has been the Pittsburgh Steelers trading for Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf and then turning around and signing him to a four-year, $132 million extension.
However, Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward revealed that Metcalf was close to landing with a different AFC team, and the text he sent that may have helped influence his trade to Pittsburgh.
"You know what's funny, I shouldn't be breaking this, but I was in California at the time, and I heard DK was in town," he said via the "Not Just Football with Cam Heyward" YouTube channel. "And then someone was like, 'Oh, he's going to the Chargers.' So, I hit up one of my friends, Tracy Perlman. She was like, 'Yeah, I hear he might be going.' I'm like, 'Text DK, tell him to come with us,' and then, like, in the next week, he was already with us."
Metcalf is coming off a solid 2024 season, during which he appeared in 15 games with 12 starts, accumulating 66 receptions, 992 yards, and five touchdowns on 108 targets, which all ranked second for the Seahawks.
Now, though, if he can replicate those numbers, he'd become the top target for the Steelers after their leading receiver was George Pickens with 103 targets, 59 receptions, 900 yards, and three touchdowns.
If the Steelers get the same production out of Metcalf, who in six years has been named to two Pro Bowls with 438 receptions, 6,324 yards, and 48 touchdowns, then Heyward may need more recognition for potentially playing a key role in the trade.
