Before DK Metcalf became the newest weapon for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the star wide receiver reportedly had the chance to join another AFC team – but he wanted no part of it.
Two weeks ago, the Steelers pulled off a blockbuster, acquiring Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a 2025 second-round pick.
Shortly after, they locked him up with a massive four-year, $132 million extension, ensuring he would be a key piece of their offense for years to come.
Metcalf’s name had been swirling in trade rumors for months, as the Seahawks’ wide receiver room grew increasingly crowded.
With 2023 first-round pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba emerging as a future No. 1 option, Seattle decided to move on from Metcalf, freeing up cap space to sign former Rams star Cooper Kupp.
While Pittsburgh ultimately landed Metcalf, another team reportedly made an attempt to acquire him – the New England Patriots.
According to NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran, New England explored the possibility but never had a real shot because Metcalf wasn’t interested in heading 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.” Curran revealed during an appearance on WEEI.
Since Tom Brady’s departure in 2020, the Patriots have struggled to attract top-tier talent.
Metcalf joins a growing list of stars who have declined a move to New England, including quarterbacks Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rodgers, as well as San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
It’s not difficult to see why Metcalf preferred Pittsburgh. The Steelers haven’t endured a losing season since 2003 under head coach Mike Tomlin, while the Patriots have missed the playoffs in four of the last five years and are in full rebuilding mode.
Having said that, the New England tides could soon be turning under new head coach Mike Vrabel. While they look to have overpaid, they were able to sign free agent Stefon Diggs to a three-year, $69 million deal yesterday.
Meanwhile, the Steelers’ offense has been searching for a true No. 1 receiver since Antonio Brown’s departure in 2018. While George Pickens has flashed elite talent, he has yet to establish himself as a dominant force on a consistent basis.
Now, with Metcalf in the fold, Pittsburgh has a legitimate game-changer at wide receiver. If they can find consistent quarterback play, the Steelers’ offense could take a massive leap in 2025 – possibly even cracking the top 10.
Despite their offensive struggles in recent years, the Steelers continue to be a model of consistency under Tomlin. With Metcalf now leading their receiving corps, they could be one solid quarterback away from making serious noise in the AFC.
As we all know, that quarterback could very well end up being Aaron Rodgers … Hopefully we find that out sooner rather than later.
As for Metcalf, are you surprised that he had zero interest in playing for the Patriots? … Has New England fallen that far that some stars won’t even consider them???
