DK Metcalf, the Steelers’ wideout, sure made some noise before their Sunday win against the Indianapolis Colts. He straight up pretended he didn’t even know who star cornerback Sauce Gardner was, saying he doesn’t “worry about what a DB does well,they’ve got to guard me.” That’s some serious pregame shade, right? Well, Gardner had a few thoughts of his own after the Colts took the loss.
Gardner’s Calm Comeback After the Loss
Gardner heard it all. “I [saw the comments]. Quite a few people from Detroit sent me that,” he told reporters. He wasn’t feeding into the drama too much publicly, but you know that stuff sticks. He acknowledged the Steelers got the win, 34-22, saying, “They’re a pretty good team. We’ve just gotta be better. Hats off to them for getting the win, but we gotta be better.” And then, the kicker: “I play corner, so you know how that goes. I don’t want to feed too much into it. I don’t want it to be bigger than what it’s supposed to be. Yeah, it is what it is.” That’s a professional response, but you can feel the underlying competitive fire.
Metcalf’s Muted Performance After All the Talk
Here’s where it gets interesting though. While Pittsburgh indeed won that matchup, Metcalf’s actual game day numbers tell a different story than his pregame confidence. He was held to a measly three receptions for just 12 yards, and only one run for 11 yards. Think about that for a second. All that talk about DBs having to guard *him*, and then he puts up those kinds of numbers? The source put it perfectly: it was a “lost the battle, won the war” type of day for the wideout. Pittsburgh won, but Metcalf’s individual performance against the team featuring the corner he supposedly ‘didn’t know’ was… well, let’s just say it wasn’t the dominant display his words suggested.
So, Metcalf got his team the win, but his individual battle with the comments and performance? That’s a different story. It just goes to show you, sometimes the best response to pregame bravado isn’t more talk, it’s how you play. Or, in Gardner’s case, how you respond with calm, understated honesty, knowing the numbers speak for themselves.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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