Q. First, I just want to give a big thank you to the Rooney family, Mr. Omar and Coach Tomlin for giving me this opportunity just to bring my talents and showcase my skill set to the AFC north.
Q. What led to the decision to make a change?
D.K. METCALF: I think just me -- like I said, man, these guys showing interest. Coach Tomlin, Mr. Omar and Mr. Rooney all hopped on the phone with me Sunday, and it just felt homey, felt welcoming, that they wanted to bring me to this historic organization, and everything was just snowballed from there. Brought me here in front of you today.
Q. The AFC North is known as a top physical division. How do you think you fit in here?
D.K. METCALF: I think my play style speaks to all those words that you just said. I'm a physical receiver. Big shout-out to my pops who was an O-lineman in this league for a little bit, so he instilled that in me, and I just try to play the game a different way, and just God blessed me with the talents and with this opportunity, so I'm not going to take it for granted.
Q. In terms of your decision to extend your contract as long as you did here, what questions did you ask about the state of the quarterback position and what were you told that made you feel comfortable in doing that?
D.K. METCALF: Right. Like I said, man, when I hopped on the phone with those three great gentlemen, they made me feel welcome first off, and then secondly, they made me feel like they had the right decision with who was going to be throwing me the football.
I'm not making the decision in the quarterback room, so I'm just going to try to do the best of my abilities to help whoever they have out there throwing the football so they make the correct decisions to bring the quarterback in here, so I'm just going to roll with that.
Q. When you made the request for a trade, did you hope or have an idea that the Steelers might be interested, and what was your reaction when you found out for the first time that that was an option that was in play?
D.K. METCALF: Yes, ma'am, I felt ecstatic just to hear about the Steelers because I thought the meeting me and Coach Tomlin had at the 2019 combine, he just always spoke volumes into me and spoke of my play style in college, and just being in the league and going up to him before or after a game, he kept that same rapport with me, and it just felt like the right decision for me.
Q. Did you think you were going to end up in Pittsburgh back then?
D.K. METCALF: Everything comes full circle in this league or in life, and it just felt right just hearing his voice again and just seeing that same excitement from the combine to six years later. He sees the type of player that I am. He's a football guru. He watches film. My play style, I think, jumps off the tape to him. Just to be in the same realm or organization to where I felt wanted was a big plus.
Q. You've played with some good receivers previously, very good ones. What's the dynamic when you have multiple guys that want the ball, and how do you envision it working out with George Pickens?
D.K. METCALF: Yes, football is the ultimate team game first off, so you shouldn't be on a team if everybody doesn't want the football. I will say that. Just to come into this organization, just to know George from the little conversations that we had in passing, great player, watching from afar. The receiver coaching calls him "freak show," and I think that's a fitting name for him with the circus catches that he makes.
But I'm just here to try to instill any wisdom or any knowledge that he allows me to, and vice versa. I feel like there's some things that I can learn from him that he does, and like you said, I've played with great receivers like Tyler Lockett, Freddie Swain, Josh Gordon was on the team my rookie year. So I've been around some very talented receivers to where I knew how to take a backseat and learn from guys like that. I'm willing to do the same if the case may be that here.
Q. What kind of conversations have you had with joining the Steelers about the importance of being a leader for this offense and this team?
D.K. METCALF: I don't think many conversations needed to be had. Like I said, Coach Tomlin watching the film to where he recognized the player that I am first and the leadership skills will come as they need to be, but we're here to win games. We're here to win as many games as we can. That's why I'm here.
Q. Did you try and barter for No. 14?
D.K. METCALF: No, sir. He's been here. He's made a staple in the number 14. I'm not trying to take away from anybody's legacy. I'm just trying to help build mine.
Q. (Indiscernible).
D.K. METCALF: No, sir, it just looked good.
Q. Did you seek any advice from Russ about what it was like here and what sort of feedback did you get from him about being a Steeler and about his future here?
D.K. METCALF: Well, we haven't talked about his future here, number one, but I talked to Russ yesterday, proposed to my fiance, and he was the one that connected us, so he was just telling me congratulations, giving us a congratulations on that.
But last year, I think like halfway through the season, me and Russ had a conversation about how it was living here, and he just told me that I would love it here. I'm waiting to find that out.
Q. You proposed yesterday?
D.K. METCALF: Yes, sir. She's right there. Hold the rock up, baby.
Q. Where did you propose? Did you propose back in Seattle, here?
D.K. METCALF: No, her and -- my family and her family was in Houston. It was my sister's spring break, and just thought about getting the whole family together just for a big kumbaya and joining our families with the ring.
Q. How far in advance were you planning? Was this before the trade request --
D.K. METCALF: Oh, yes, ma'am. Well, I tried to last year, but she's a singer, and her work kind of conflicted with the schedule. So just tried to take an approach to where a schedule couldn't matter. I started sending her flowers with a story and then the last letter on the flower was "will you marry me," and she said yes.
Q. How would you describe what this week has been like?
D.K. METCALF: Starting with Sunday, great. I don't know too many more words other than great. It's just a big blessing just to come to a new home. Not discrediting anything from the Seahawks organization because they gave me a chance to become who I am in this league, and I just thank them for that. But found a new home here, found a new fiance, and everything is just falling in line just the way God planned it for it to be. I'm just excited to continue to move forward with it.
Q. Did you have a chance to watch the Steelers previously, and what are your thoughts about how they play, and what have they told you about the style they want to play?
D.K. METCALF: I mean, I've played against them, so I see the type of style that they play. They're a tough team, a tough tackling team, and they're very disciplined from being on the opposite side of them. But just to be in the same locker room as some of those guys, it feels good. But even with the free agency signings that we've had with Darius Slay, just speaking on one of them, just going against him, the battles that we had, but just to battle with him in practice, Joey Porter, going against him his rookie year. Coach Tomlin has brought some great players into this league, has drafted some great players into this league. Just looking to add to this historic organization.
Q. Arthur Smith had AJ Brown in Tennessee. Can you envision yourself maybe like in AJ's role when he was with the Titans?
D.K. METCALF: Yes, sir. I'm my own player so just looking for my own lane in his offense. He's a great coach, had some exceptional players in Tennessee and last year here. Just looking to put my own mark on his offense.
Q. You practice how you play; does that ever get explosive, combative?
D.K. METCALF: No, sir. You've got to learn how to practice against your teammates, man. I try to give my teammates the best look possible so on Sunday they're ready to go against somebody else. So the hard work is already done during practice.
Q. What's the biggest thing you're proud of how you've developed as far as part of your skill set over your career so far?
D.K. METCALF: I just think the way that I play. It just jumps off the tape, and I've just consistently put that on film year in and year out, and I tried not to have a drop-off, and I'm not going to have a drop-off.
Q. How are you health-wise now, and was the second half of the season a struggle coming off the injury physically in that regard?
D.K. METCALF: No, sir. I'm not going to step on the field if I don't feel like I can be D.K. Metcalf. Anytime I step on the field, you're going to get the best product that I feel like I can put on the field.
But the second half of the season I was healthy.
Q. You mentioned the history of this organization. This is one of the biggest player acquisitions in this organization's history, and they're trying to take the next step in the AFC. How do you handle those expectations or pressure, whatever you want to call it?
D.K. METCALF: Yeah, I mean, like you said, expectations is unneeded pressure in my opinion. I'm just going to be myself and just try to be the best person that I can be walking into this building each day and let the chips fall where they may.
Q. Can you clear up these perceptions that you wanted to play in a warm weather city?
D.K. METCALF: Yeah, man, we never said done of that. Me and my team never said, warm city, a contender, none of that. We just took the trade requests and moved forward with the teams that really showed interest, and they showed interest from day one. We just built on the relationship that we had from the first conversation, and here we are.
Q. Now that you're in the fold here, you signed an extension that ties you to Pittsburgh for quite some time, do you feel like it's your role or do you feel like you want to recruit a free agent quarterback whether that is Russ or Aaron Rodgers? Do you have a message to either of those guys?
D.K. METCALF: No, ma'am. I think, like you said, this is a historic organization. They've done the recruiting before I even got here. Whoever wants to come here and try to win as many games as we can, they can join us, but if not, good luck on the other side.
Q. You talked about not needing to play for a team that's a contender right now, but when you came to Seattle there were a lot of guys that had Super Bowl rings. How much is that something that drives you to this day and that you're looking for in the five years you're here?
D.K. METCALF: Yes, sir, I'm the ultimate competitor, so that's the ultimate goal whenever anybody starts a season. That goal is not going to change just because I'm in a different uniform. I'm still going to be trying to be the best version of myself, trying to push my teammates, push myself each day to try to get another Lombardi Trophy here with Coach Tomlin.
Q. Did you say you talked to George Pickens since the deal --
D.K. METCALF: No, sir, we've just had conversations in passing.
Q. Can you clarify again how Russ came up with the whole proposal thing?
D.K. METCALF: Yes, sir, so back in 2020, Russ connected me and my now fiance Normani, and him and his wife Ciara connected us. She was talking to her and Russ was talking to me, and we hit it off from day one, and here we are.
DraftScripts by ASAP Sports
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports