The NFL seems to be extra cautious on the topic of trash talks this season, with the purpose of keeping the game family-friendly. The players, however, are not far behind in searching for loopholes. One such example is DK Metcalf who aimed to hit the spit without being caught but couldn’t stop himself from spilling the beans in an interview.
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DK Metcalf has time and again hit the headlines for excessive taunting and trash-talking. Not only his team but also his own career trajectory seemed to take a hit because of this never-ending habit. Instead of dealing with the habit, the WR has found a new and innovative way to introduce trash talk in the league.
There have been many incidents where the Seahawks wide receiver has put to use his mischievous ways many times this season. After scoring a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams, DK Metcalf used his newly learned sign language to troll Rams cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon. He used the antics and signed, ‘#44 is my son’.
DK Metcalf again made the headlines post-game against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday as he strode into the end zone for a 73-yard first-quarter score and signed ‘standing on business’ in American sign language. The player has indeed found a way to fly under the radar of the official rules and still keep his trash talk.
The Actual Reason DK Metcalf Learned ASL
In a recent post-game interview with the Seattle Seahawks reporters, the player spilled the beans on how and why he learned the language. The American player learned the language in an online class with a deaf teacher Darrell Utley in Tennessee to exercise his mind. Later on, he realized how valuable awareness is to the ASL community. While he earlier said that he learned ASL so he could trash talk Metcalf revealed a more deeper reason for his antics,
“It’s been fun, every time we interact and I know something he signs to me… I get to challenge myself to learn something new and also to bring light to a community who I didn’t know felt unseen.”
Giving the language a wider platform, the player seems to do his part to familiarise many people with the same. While his image with the words hasn’t been great, his acknowledgment of the importance of sign language is incredible. Metcalf also highlighted that he has received appreciation from fans for his step towards awareness. Per the Seahawks’ website, Metcalf added,
“A few people have reached out to me saying, ‘Thank you for learning ASL.’ Or, ‘Thank you for signing on national television.”
The WR sure is proud of his new skill. However, he is also proud of the fact that there is a lot of curiosity about the usage of sign language on the field now. As people are often seen trying to decode his messages, they have grown an interest in the language. Metcalf’s trash-talking might be upsetting, but his experiment with sign language has without a doubt raised the bar for players in the NFL.
