Paul Zeise: The NFL got it right with a two-game suspension for Steelers receiver DK Metcalf

PITTSBURGH — The fan with the fake blue hair who got into a confrontation with DK Metcalf is clearly lonely and in search of whatever validation comes from acting the fool at a football game and getting a reaction from a player.

He is what most of us would refer to as a loser, and it is beyond ridiculous that we have spent this much time and energy talking about him. He got what he wanted, which is his 15 minutes of fame, and he has already lawyered up in a ridiculous attempt to play the victim.

And I suppose if you have nothing else going for you in life, playing the victim gives you some sort of sick validation for your miserable life, and of course there could be a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow in the form of a lawsuit or a settlement.

In other words, I can't make it any more clear that the actions of this guy are the actions of a toddler and if I were the Detroit Lions owners, he would be banned for life from coming to games. I have no issues with fans who want to support their team. And heckling on some level is fine, as well. But it is clear this guy takes it to another level.

All of that being said, DK Metcalf was dead wrong in how he handled that situation. And no amount of rationalization or explanation justifies what he did.

He should have been suspended for two games, like he was. He should be reprimanded. And there should be no wiggle room to try and act as if his behavior was acceptable on any level.

It wasn't.

As a player, you cannot get into confrontations, especially physical ones, with fans. Period. End of discussion.

There is nothing a fan could say to any player that should make it OK for a player to react the way Metcalf did. If what the fan said was offensive or racist in nature, Metcalf needed to just tell security or have someone from the Steelers tell security to remove the guy.

And here is the other thing — I am tired of every time one of these athletes blows a gasket, they run to some version of "he called me the N-word," as if that justifies whatever their actions were.

It doesn't and it never will, and the bottom line is that some of the carnival barkers in the national media who jump on that bandwagon every time should stop and think about what they are saying from time to time.

That's especially true in this case where there is almost zero evidence that this fan used a racial slur against Metcalf. So far, it is zero based on eyewitness accounts and videos that have surfaced, but I am willing to wait until all the evidence is out.

If he didn't, then claiming so undermines the credibility of every person who actually was the target of racial slurs and/or racism. It makes a joke out of a serious issue and more importantly it sends a terrible message that all it takes to get out of trouble is to make such a claim.

Remember Myles Garrett using his helmet as a battle axe against Mason Rudolph? Yes, he tried to go that route by saying Rudolph called him a racial slur, justifying his actions. The NFL didn't fall for it, though many national media types did. The ensuing investigation found no evidence that any slur was used and Garrett was suspended for the rest of that 2019 season and had to apply to be reinstated for 2020.

Five years later, despite absolutely no evidence that Rudolph used a slur being unearthed, there are still those who think Garrett was justified in his actions because they just know something racial was said.

It is ridiculous but it is the world we live in, where anyone who can find a way to be a victim gets coddled and their behaviors excused.

I myself have been called racial slurs. I grew up in an all-white neighborhood and have witnessed plenty of it my entire life. I have had plenty of people who don't like my sports opinions go that direction in emails or voicemails or on social media, so spare me the idea that everyone who has been there understands.

And again, so far there has been zero evidence there was some sort of racial or offensive comment made by the fan. It seems like this guy is a professional heckler and he got his jollies by getting a reaction, but that's on Metcalf and nobody else.

Mike Tomlin is right to "support" Metcalf as he said he would Tuesday at his news conference, but he should have been a little stronger in making it clear that this behavior is 100% unacceptable.

This fan means nothing to Metcalf, so who cares if he shouts out stupid things from his seat? Some of these athletes need to grow a much thicker skin for this kind of stuff, and if it indeed turns out that it was racist, go to the proper authorities to have it taken care of.

The NFL was right to not change Metcalf's suspension. The message has to be loud and clear that players and coaches cannot engage in any kind of altercation or confrontation with fans.

It is dangerous, for one, and it could lead to all kinds of legal headaches for the league, the team and even the player.

And two, and most importantly, go play football and stop worrying what some ding-a-ling in the front row is yelling.

Metcalf needs to sit out, and the NFL needs to send a strong message that this behavior will never be tolerated, no matter what excuse is used to justify it.