Pete Carroll says DK Metcalf “needs to calm down a little bit” after multiple penalties – NBC Sports

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It’s been a bit of a rough start to the 2021 season for Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf.

While Metcalf did have a touchdown in Seattle’s Week One victory over the Indianapolis Colts, Metcalf has also been called for five penalties through two games.

He was called for a taunting penalty for getting the fact of Colts linebacker Darius Leonard after a touchdown pass to Gerald Everett last week. Then Sunday against the Titans, Metcalf was called for holding penalties twice on screen passes and an offensive pass interference call for engaging a block before the pass had been thrown. He’s also had a false start last week in Indianapolis.

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said on Monday that Metcalf needs to scale it back a little to avoid those issues.

“I think (he) was trying really hard early and it was happening in both games where he’s really trying to set the tempo and try to find the competitive makeup of the game. He needs to calm down a little bit. He was trying a little too hard,” Carroll said. “But he was just really working hard, I mean really working hard and I mean, sometimes, you know, it goes too far. He had two holds on the perimeter screens and those are important plays to us. He was really mauling the guy who was blocking and just went too far.”

Metcalf caught six passes for 53 yards in the 33-30 overtime loss to Tennessee on Sunday. However, he was targeted 11 times in total and was unable to come up with contested catches he had a chance to haul in. Metcalf also looked a bit hobbled in overtime after banging his knee late in regulation.

Carroll said that Metcalf indicated it’s not an issue heading into this week.

“I saw DK (earlier). He said he felt fine. That’s all I know so far. We don’t have him on the report at this point,” Carroll said.