DK Metcalf didn’t want to be traded to the New England Patriots even though the organization was willing to pay him what he desired.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer joined Patriots Pregame Live on Sunday afternoon before the Week 3 matchup between the Patriots and Metcalf’s Steelers. Breer shared intel dating back to Metcalf’s final days with the Seahawks and what led to the mid-March trade that sent the star wide receiver from Seattle to Pittsburgh.
“Well, let’s roll it back all the way to January when DK Metcalf first asked for a trade from Seattle,” said Breer, noting the Houston Texans and Los Angeles Chargers were Metcalf’s preferred destinations. “Houston wasn’t much interested in a trade. The Chargers would have traded for him, but didn’t want to do a contract.”
Metcalf’s camp reset and checked in with the Packers and Colts, among others. The group learned the Steelers and Patriots were two teams willing to make a “big-time trade” and hand out a “big-time contract,” according to Breer.
“Metcalf’s camp checked in with both those teams, and then the Patriots came back to the Seahawks and said, ‘Yeah, he’s not coming here,'” Breer said. “So Seattle moved forward in doing a deal with Pittsburgh.”
The Steelers traded the Seahawks a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Pittsburgh acquired Metcalf and benefited from a late-round pick swap.
That price likely was too high for the Patriots, Breer said.
“I think it may have even been a moot point because my sense is the Patriots were not willing to give up their second-round pick to get Metcalf,” Breer said. “So, I’m not sure that they would have been able to put something in front of Seattle that Seattle would have taken instead of what Pittsburgh wound up giving them.”
New England used its second-round pick on promising rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson.
Metcalf signed a four-year, $132 million contract with the Steelers.