The league has been cracking up on trash talk this season, to keep the game family friendly and to set a good example for the younger audience. However, players find new ways to fly under the radar and keep the competitive flame alive and DK Metcalf’s way might just be the most innovative.
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DK Metcalf has made a habit of getting flagged for excessively taunting his opponents. This habit eventually ended up hurting his team as well. The WR took a step back from his taunting tendencies but instead of giving up his trash-talking ways, found an innovative way to keep the flame alive.
After racking up a fine too many, Metcalf found a way to fly under the officials’ radar and keep up his antics. The WR took up sign language in order to keep taunting his opponents without stepping over the line. After scoring on Rams’ CB Ahkello Witherspoon in Week 11, Metcalf signed “#44 is my son.” As news of this broke, fans couldn’t contain themselves.
People were absolute fans of Metcalf finding a way to dodge the penalties as many showed support for his antics:
This is savage as hell
— Long Island Sports Guy (@LI_Sports_Guy) November 22, 2023
Committed to talking trash
— Harecules (@harecules) November 23, 2023
A fan even called him the “GOAT of trash talk!”
GOAT of Trash Talk
— broady (@broadyboy101) December 3, 2023
Gangster af.
— LNDSHRK (@the_lndshrk) November 23, 2023
However, some fans were also worried that the league would find a way to penalize him for this as well:
He’ll end up getting fined for that too
— Wheat (@_Wheat___) November 23, 2023
Well played.. what a smart way to trash talk. Wonder if they’ll penalize him going forward lol
— Scott Jacobsen (@statsobsession) November 23, 2023
Metcalf revealed in a conversation with Rich Eisen that he started taking ASL classes during his off days as he kept getting “flags for my mouthing, so I gotta sign my sh*t talking now.” However, his ASL skills are not limited to just sh*t talking but also extend to celebrations.
DK Metcalf Celebrates TD With Style
During the Seahawks Week 13 opener against the Cowboys, Metcalf once more put his ASL skills to good use and signed to celebrate a TD. While the Seahawks might have lost, Metcalf had an explosive showing as he accrued 134 yards and three touchdowns. He scored a 73-yard touchdown in the first quarter and signed “stand on business” in the end zone.
In his career, DK Metcalf has been fined a total of $98,033 for excessive celebration or unsportsmanlike conduct.
So, he spent his downtime learning ASL — and now talks trash in sign language.
Tonight: “Standing on business”pic.twitter.com/4FqYL30PTN
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) December 1, 2023
Against Dallas, Metcalf became just the fifth Seahawks player in franchise history with at least 125 receiving yards and three touchdowns in a single game. Metcalf has been fined more than $98,000 in his career for excessive celebration and unsportsmanlike conduct, according to Front Office Sports. He collected fines for more than $65,000 this season in just four games for on-field infractions. It remains to be seen how the league reacts to this and if this style of trash-talking catches up among players.
