From the moment Lions fan Ryan Kennedy hired counsel in the aftermath of his in-game altercation with Steelers receiver DK Metcalf, it was obvious this was coming.
Kennedy has sued Metcalf and various others, via Christian Romo of USA Today. The lawsuit focused on the alleged assault — and on the statements made about Kennedy following the December 21 incident.
The civil action, filed on Tuesday, targets Metcalf, the Steelers, and Ford Field management in connection with the assault. Metcalf, Shannon Sharpe, Chad Johnson, and Shay Shay Media were sued for defamation.
Johnson said during an episode of the Nightcap podcast that Kennedy provoked Metcalf by using a racial slur, and by using a misogynistic term in reference to Metcalf’s mother.
“The statements were false and reckless,” the lawsuit alleges. “Plaintiff Kennedy did not call Defendant Metcalf the ‘N-word'; did not call Defendant Metcalf mother a ‘c---'; and did not ever use any racial slurs or hate speech whatsoever. . . . Defendant Metcalf provided false information to Defendant Johnson about what Plaintiff Kennedy allegedly said, thereby instigating and authorizing the publication of the defamatory and reckless statements which were intended to harm Plaintiff Kennedy.”
Kennedy seeks $100 million in damages, along with a “full public retraction and correction of defamatory statements” from Johnson and Sharpe.
Broncos Clips
Broncos left tackle Garett Bolles was named the NFL Players Association’s Alan Page Community Award winner for 2026 at a press conference in San Francisco on Tuesday.
Bolles was selected as the union’s Community MVP in Week 1 of the regular season for his foundation’s role in helping to open the Bjorem + Bolles Childhood Apraxia Training Center in Parker, Colorado. The facility was created to to train speech pathologists in assessing and treating childhood apraxia of speech, which is a condition that makes it difficult to learn and carry out the steps needed for intelligible speech.
Bolles and his wife became involved with the effort to create the center because their son was diagnosed with apraxia.
“I’m beyond grateful to not only have my son be the face of it, but to be able to bring in and save as many kids’ lives as possible,” Bolles said at the press conference. “This work is deeply personal to me and my wife because of my son, but we believe that every kid deserves to have a voice and a platform to be able to talk and to communicate with their peers.”
The NFLPA will donate $100,000 to Bolles’s foundation in recognition of his award.
Davis Webb interviewed for head coaching jobs last month and he was in the mix for offensive coordinator openings around the league, but he will be staying in Denver.
The Broncos announced on Monday that they have promoted Webb to offensive coordinator. Webb had been the team’s quarterbacks coach for the last three seasons and he also had the title of offensive pass game coordinator in 2025.
Joe Lombardi was the Broncos’ offensive coordinator, but he was fired after the team’s loss to the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.
The Broncos stayed in the organization to replace Webb as the quarterbacks coach. They announced that they have promoted Logan Kilgore from offensive quality control coach to Webb’s former role.
Broncos offensive guard Quinn Meinerz has withdrawn from the Pro Bowl Games, Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette reports. Meinerz cited personal reasons.
Meinerz turned down a Pro Bowl invitation in 2025, because he didn’t want to go as an alternate, he told Tomasson. Meinerz was on the initial list of Pro Bowlers for this season and was expected to participate.
Meinerz played in every game for the Broncos this season. He missed part of the Nov. 6 game against the Raiders because of an illness that had not been diagnosed. According to Tomasson, Meinerz later declined to elaborate.
The Broncos still have five players participating in the Pro Bowl Games. Offensive tackle Garett Bolles, wide receiver Courtland Sutton, defensive lineman Zach Allen, outside linebacker Nik Bonitto and cornerback Pat Surtain II are in San Francisco.
The AFC and NFC teams practiced for the first time on Sunday.
The players will participate in a flag football game and other events in San Francisco on Tuesday night.
New Bills coach Joe Brady has made arguably his most important hire.
With Brady being an offensive specialist, he needs someone to whom the defense can be entrusted. Per multiple reports, the someone is Broncos assistant head coach and defensive pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard.
Leonhard began his playing career in Buffalo 21 years ago, as an undrafted free agent. After three years with the Bills, he joined the Ravens. Leonhard then followed Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan to the Jets.
After three years with the Jets, Leonhard played for the Broncos in 2012, the Bills in 2013, and the Browns in 2014.
He finished his career with 142 regular-season appearances and 73 starts. He played in seven postseason games.
Leonhard began his coaching career at his alma mater, Wisconsin. He rose to defensive backs coach in 2016 to defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach from 2017 through 2022 to interim head coach in 2022.
After serving as a senior defensive analyst at Illinois in 2023, he joined Sean Payton’s Broncos in 2024.
The Broncos are getting closer to finding a new offensive coordinator.
Via reporter Jordan Schultz, Denver has interviewed Commanders assistant head coach/passing game coordinator Brian Johnson for the vacancy.
Johnson, 38, served as Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator in 2023 but was fired after one season. He had previously been the team’s quarterbacks coach from 2021-2022 with Shane Steichen serving as offensive coordinator.
He has been with Washington under head coach Dan Quinn since the 2024 season, helping Jayden Daniels become AP offensive rookie of the year.
The Broncos fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi earlier this week. The team’s offensive pass game coordinator/QBs coach Davis Webb is regarded as one of the favorites to land the job.
Joe Brady mentioned multiple times in his introductory press conference as Bills head coach that he’s from the Sean Payton tree.
Now he’s brought in one of Payton’s longtime offensive lieutenants.
Pete Carmichael Jr. is joining Buffalo as the club’s offensive coordinator, according to a report from NFL Media.
Carmichael, 54, was with the Saints from 2006-2023, spending the vast majority of that time as the club’s offensive coordinator under Payton. Carmichael did not call plays full-time until Payton departed the franchise after the 2021 season. But he was fired after two seasons under head coach Dennis Allen.
Carmichael reunited with Payton with the Broncos, becoming the team’s senior offensive assistant in 2024 and serving in that role over the last two seasons.
Brady noted he will still call the Bills’ offensive plays as head coach. But Carmichael joining the team will be a key factor in implementing Buffalo’s offensive game plans throughout the week.
Davis Webb apparently took his current boss’s opinion to heart.
Days after Broncos coach Sean Payton said regarding the prospect of his pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach staying in the division as coach of the Raiders, “It’d be a pain in the ass for him,” Webb has withdrawn from consideration for the job, via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
Webb shifted to coaching in 2023, taking a job on Payton’s initial staff as quarterbacks coach. Webb added the pass game coordinator title in 2025.
The 31-year-old also interviewed with the Ravens and Bills.
The move could mean that Webb is in line to become the successor to Joe Lombardi as offensive coordinator of the Broncos. For the Raiders, it could mean that they’ll wait another 11 days and hire Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
Former NFL tight end Vernon Davis, who has pivoted to acting in the years after his playing career ended, faces criminal charges.
Via TMZ.com, a woman has accused Davis of attacking her with “magazines and books” during a May 2025 argument over her pregnancy. Davis allegedly offered the woman $10,000 to get an abortion.
She also contends that, in a later incident, Davis slapped her.
A warrant for Davis’s arrest was issued on January 8, accusing him of assault and battery. A court date is set for February.
The sixth overall pick in 2006, Davis spent nine years with the 49ers. During the 2015 season, he was traded to the Broncos. He signed with Washington in 2016, spending his final four years there. He last played in 2019.
The Broncos conducted their first offensive coordinator interview.
Ronald Curry completed an interview with the team, Gabriel Parker of The Denver Post reports.
Curry, 46, spent four seasons with Broncos head coach Sean Payton in New Orleans. He was the wide receivers coach with the Saints from 2018-20 and the quarterbacks coach during Payton’s last season with the team in 2021.
Curry stayed two more seasons in New Orleans before leaving for Buffalo to become the quarterbacks coach for the Bills. Josh Allen won the MVP award in 2024.
Curry interviewed for the Broncos’ offensive coordinator job when Payton was hired in Denver in 2023. Joe Lombardi held the job for the past three seasons before his firing this week.
Broncos quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Davis Webb is the favorite to replace Lombardi if Webb doesn’t get the head coaching job in Las Vegas.
