DK Metcalf could be returning some of his game check to the NFL this week after eagle-eyed fans spotted a handwritten message on his helmet for the Steelers’ win over the Colts.NFL players are explicitly banned from writing political messages on their uniform or helmet, but Metcalf opted to get his sharpie out on Sunday to write ‘Nolan Wells’ in black on the rear bumper of his head gear.The name references the 18-year-old black college student who died in July after he and his friends went out on a boating trip off of the Mississippi Gulf Coast near Horn Island.Wells’ friends said he did not return to the mainland with them, choosing instead to stay behind to talk with a girl, a claim his family has disputed. His body was found two days later off the island’s coast.Images showing Wells with the white friends the day he went missing fueled online speculation that racial dynamics played a role in his death.A Jackson County grand jury last month found that the teenager’s death was ‘consistent with drowning’ and dismissed accusations that the tragedy was ‘racially motivated.’ DK Metcalf displayed the name of Nolan Wells on the back of his helmet for Sunday’s gamePOWERFUL: #Steelers DK Metcalf has the name “Nolan Wells” written on the back of his helmet today.Wells, a Mississippi teenager, died in June after going missing during a boat trip to an island.A grand jury recently declined to indict anyone in his desth.(?@ThompsonFoto12) pic.twitter.com/oXM66bsoEy— MLFootball (@MLFootball) October 12, 2026 Speaking about the decision to write Wells’ name on his helmet, Metcalf had said earlier in the week: ‘I think his family’s just grieving, a little kid played football, was a pretty good receiver.’He was going to Southwest (Mississippi Community) College. And so I know he had dreams and aspirations to make it to the NFL… so just to write something so his family can recognize (their) son made it on an NFL field, I think, would be special.’He then added: ‘I’m not trying to do this for any reason but just to bring awareness to the situation that happened. People can do their own research and come to whatever conclusion they want to, but justice needs to be served in my opinion, and what better way to do it than just to bring awareness to the situation?’Metcalf’s very public support of the late teenager comes just days after three of Wells’ friends filed a lawsuit against former NFL player Terrell Owens, accusing the Hall of Famer of defamation. Morgan Seymour, Jax Pitalo and Warren Hudson are accusing the 52-year-old of defaming them after he posted on X: ‘ARREST THEM IMMEDIATELY!!’The fathers of the three friends, who are under 21 and considered minors under Mississippi law, filed the federal lawsuit Monday on their behalf. Wells’s body was found after the 18-year-old football player and his friends were on a boating trip off of the Mississippi Gulf Coast near Horn Island for the Fourth of July. Source: ChristineWonsley/Facebook Wells’s death garnered national attention, with his heartbroken family calling for an investigation into the tragedy despite law enforcement’s determination that his death involved no foul play. Source: ChristineWonsley/FacebookOwens’ post also linked to an Instagram video that theorized the three friends killed Wells and tampered with his phone, according to the lawsuit. The post was made days after the grand jury declined to recommend charges in Wells’ death.The former wide receiver has 1.2 million followers on X and had previously pledged $25,000 to a reward fund for information leading to an arrest and conviction in Wells’ death.The Daily Mail has reached out to Owens and SMAC Entertainment, which, according to its website, manages Owens, but did not immediately receive a response.Metcalf, meanwhile, could be expecting a fine from the NFL, if it opts to follow the precedent set by other players in previous seasons.On multiple occasions, Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair has been fined by the league for writing messages on his uniform. The teen’s mother became more suspicious after getting her son’s phone back, where she checked Snapchat and saw that her son had not taken any photos of his day out, which she said was unusual for the football playerIn Week 1 of this season, he had to hand the league $11,941 for displaying ‘Hind Rajab’, the name of a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed in Gaza in 2024, on his eye black.He had also previously been fined for writing ‘Stop the Genocide’ in a similar way in January of this year.In November 2024, meanwhile, San Francisco 49ers star Nick Bosa wore a ‘Make America Great Again’ cap in support of Donald Trump, which landed him with an $11,255 fine from the league.The technical wording of the fine is for ‘displaying an unauthorized personal message,’ but the league is yet to dish out its fines for this week’s games.