Carroll: DK Metcalf could do better on his post-play flags. But Seahawks want his fire

Multiple times in multiple games this season, Pete Carroll has calmed DK Metcalf from a boil into a simmer.

This time, Metcalf wasn’t in the mood for simmering.

San Francisco’s Dre Greenlaw had just gestured to the Seahawks sideline following his tackle of Seattle running back Travis Homer short of the line to gain. That was on a third-down pass in the second quarter Thursday night, during the 49ers’ 21-13 win over Seattle at Lumen Field. As Greenlaw jogged to the 49ers’ sideline and Metcalf headed to the opposite one, Metcalf gave the 49ers linebacker a shove with his left shoulder. It put it into Greenlaw’s chest.

Greenlaw didn’t like that. He jawed and lunged at Metcalf. The Seahawks’ wide receiver jawed and gestured back to Greenlaw, with a “bring-it-on” motion using hands.

San Francisco’s Charvarius Ward broke up the confrontation. Officials flagged Metcalf for a 15-yard, dead-ball penalty for taunting Greenlaw.

It was the sixth penalty on Metcalf this season. That’s tied with Las Vegas’ Mack Hollis for the most penalties on a wide receiver in the NFL in 2022. Three of Metcalf’s fouls have been for unsportsmanlike conduct and taunting.

When Metcalf got to the sideline and officials announced his taunting penalty Thursday, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll tried to talk to him and tapped him on his backside, in an attempt to calm down his receiver. Metcalf kept barking. Teammate Johnathan Abram came over. Abram tapped Metcalf on his chest as Seattle’s defense played the ensuing drive. Metcalf kept yelling and gesturing angrily.

“He’s freaking competing like an elite performer with the highest of expectations. And every once in a while he may make a mistake in that level that he plays at,” Carroll said. “He could do a little bit better. Yeah, he could do a little bit better. We just got finished talking about that.”

The Seahawks re-signed their 25-year-old receiver (he turned 25 Wednesday) to a $72 million contract extension with a $30 million signing bonus before this season has had 13 flags on him the last two seasons. Three have been for unsportsmanlike conduct. Two have been for taunting.

He was ejected from Seattle’s 17-0 loss at Green Bay in the 2021 season for fighting. After that game and ejection, Metcalf said “I’ve gotta grow up.”

This season he got fine of $29,785 for arguing with an official over pass interference not being called on a Tampa Bay defensive back on a long Geno Smith pass to him Nov. 13. That was during Seattle’s loss to the Buccaneers in Munich.

Up to that game in Germany there had been 25 reported fines for unsportsmanlike conduct across the league through 11 weeks this season, according to Spotrac.com. Metcalf’s was the most expensive sanction for the infraction. He got fined $6,000 more than the next-most-expensive unsportsmanlike fine, to Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase in week one.

Metcalf also was penalized Thursday for grabbing the back of Ward’s jersey and pulling the cornerback off-balance before what would have been a 27-yard catch to the San Francisco 43 with 34 seconds left in the first half. That penalty ended any chance Seattle had to cut into the Niners’ 14-3 lead before halftime.

San Francisco took the second-half kickoff and turned it into a touchdown and a 21-3 lead.

As physical as the 6-foot-4, 235-pound Metcalf is, yes, he’s going to get pass-interference penalties.

As physically imposing as he is, plus with his history of flags, it’s obvious NFL officials are seeing and in fact watching for everything Metcalf does during and particularly after plays.

And Metcalf often does things.

Carroll wants to end his receiver’s after-play penalties.

“But I don’t want him to be anything but what he is and who he is. He’s a frickin’ warrior on the football field,” Carroll said. “He wants to walk that edge and live there in the game. I’m all for it. He’s just got to not screw it up and get penalized on it.

“He did and made mistakes out there and they got him.

“But you should see the smile on his face: But he didn’t get thrown out. Made it through the rest of the game.

“So if you don’t like a guy that plays like that, OK, you’re not on our side. I love the way he played.”