Packers LB Quay Walker hits back at DK Metcalf revealing what stopped him from fighting Steelers WR

Green Bay Packers linebacker Quay Walker has addressed his encounter with Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf on Sunday. Metcalf stuck his fingers into Walker’s facemask during Sunday’s game between the Steelers and the Packers, attempting to poke him in the eye.

Walker’s reaction, choosing not to retaliate in the face of the brazen provocation, surprised many in the world of football. The linebacker bore out his mind on the face-off in a discussion with Emmanuel Acho on the latter’s late-night show, ‘Speakeasy.’ He said:

“I wanted to retaliate. Everything just reflected back to my rookie year when I got ejected and how I felt in that situation. It’s hard because I have to really tell myself when to calm down. When I get on the field, I’m a whole different person. I go into a whole different mode…”

Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!

The 25-year-old linebacker continued:

“Now I have to tell myself to chill. I go back to the sideline, meditate, and try to calm myself down.”

Read also: (Watch) Myles Garrett furiously slams his helmet on sidelines after Dillon Gabriel's struggles lead to Browns' embarrassing loss to Patriots

Remembering Quay Walker’s first-year ejection

Quay Walker was selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Packers. However, a moment during the last game of his first year has come to define his rookie season. Quay Walker had shoved a Detroit Lions medical staff member in the fourth quarter of the game, leading to his ejection.

While it wasn’t his only ejection that season, the game was particularly important, as the Packers needed a win to secure a playoff berth. The Packers lost the game to Detroit, putting an end to their season.

Walker subsequently took up meditation as a way to manage his emotions better, and Sunday was proof that it worked. The former Georgia standout told a reporter in 2023:

“I’m already prepared. I know most teams will label me a hothead, so I kind of am preparing for what’s going to happen and things like that. I’ve just got to be ready for everything that’s going to come.”

The Packers went 5-1-1 on Sunday with their victory over the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. The team currently leads the NFC North and is on a three-game winning streak. Its next game is against the Carolina Panthers on Nov. 2. The Panthers are fresh off a blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Edited by Kayode Akinwumi