Do Seahawks fans harbor much resentment toward DK Metcalf after exit?

Whenever his name pops up in the news, you can feel Seattle’s eyebrow rise a solid centimeter. 

Maybe it’s about him being Aaron Rodgers’ top new target. Maybe it’s about him squashing a rivalry with cornerback Jalen Ramsey, another new teammate. Maybe it’s just about a fresh start on a new team in a new conference on a new coast. 

Whatever the case, the undertakings of Steelers receiver DK Metcalf are going to be of interest to folks in these parts for a little while. And I’m having a hard time figuring out if they’ll be rooting for success or shortcomings. 

We know what happened when Russell Wilson — a Super Bowl-winning quarterback who played 10 seasons with the Seahawks — forced his way out of town. The man got booed by tens of thousands of Lumen Field fans when he returned the next season as a Bronco. His deeds — on that day, at least — were scrubbed from the memory banks of the 12s who felt betrayed. Has Metcalf drawn similar resentment?

After all, DK forced his way out with a year remaining on his three-year, $72 million extension. The feeling was that if the Seahawks were going to extend him once more, they would have done so before the middle of March, when Metcalf was dealt to Pittsburgh. The difference between Metcalf and Wilson here, though, is that Russell had two years remaining on a four-year, $140 million deal that made him the highest-paid player in the NFL upon signing. Metcalf, 27, was seeking long-term security and got it when the Steelers extended him via a four-year, $132 million contract after the trade. 

Still, how sorry is any fan going to feel about a player not wanting to play out the final year of a deal that pays him $24 million annually? The answer is none. Metcalf could have stayed, and as accomplished as new Seahawks receiver Cooper Kupp is, he isn’t likely to provide the impact that DK did. 

Then again, some fans might wonder about that last sentence. Was Metcalf all that productive after his second year, when he broke Steve Largent’s single-season record for receiving yards by a Seahawk and earned second-team All-Pro? He never got another All-Pro nod after that season, and never finished in the top-15 in the NFL in receiving yards again. I can’t help but get the feeling that fans saw one of the most physically gifted football players ever falling short of his potential. 

Maybe. Except that stats don’t always tell the tale of a star player. A cornerback with no interceptions may just be so frightening that no quarterback ever tests his side of the field. That’s impact. A pass rusher with limited sacks may just be drawing double teams on every snap, opening things up for the rest of the line. That’s impact. And a wideout whose receiving yards have dwindled may just be getting so much attention from the secondary that his fellow pass catchers have significantly more room to operate.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the Seahawks with 1,130 receiving yards last season. Without DK as a deep threat next to him next season, let’s see if he can keep that up. 

Of course, there was one other aspect to Metcalf’s game that turned off at least a few of the 12s: the penalties — particularly those of the 15-yard variety. Metcalf was fifth in flags among receivers last season and had one unnecessary-roughness call. He was fifth the year before and had two for 15. And in 2022, he was tied for first, with three penalties for 15 yards. This adds up on the field, and in some fans’ minds. 

So on one hand you have a guy who came in as the last pick of the second round and quickly emerged as a star receiver. You have an athletic freak who famously chased down Budda Baker in Arizona to save a would-be pick six. You have a player who, after Wilson’s departure, may very well have been the most popular athlete in Seattle. But you also have a man who forced his way out with one year left on a lucrative contract after his stats dropped off and the penalty flags for him flew. 

We won’t get the same kind of test with Metcalf as we got with Wilson. The Seahawks are going to Pittsburgh next season, but it’s unclear if DK will ever set foot in Lumen Field again as a player. 

My guess is a lot of fans, if given truth serum, would say they wish he was still here. Not sure there are as many that are wishing him well.