Slowed by a boot on his left foot post-surgery, DK Metcalf's walking right now before he can run.
But run he will, as Metcalf's sprinting goals remain and they won't be achieved until he reaches the Olympics.
The Seattle Seahawks wide receiver, who previously came up short of qualifying for the 2021 Summer Olympics, recently stated his intent to put in work during upcoming NFL offseasons to prepare for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
"I'm in a boot right now, so I can't, I can't do too much," Metcalf told Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks. "But next year, I'm gonna start back training for it every offseason, training for the 100-meter, or the 60-meter, whichever one I decide to do. And then in 2024, you'll see me again."
Currently healing up from foot surgery to remove a screw from a previous procedure, Metcalf's top priority is likely to be a healthy return to Seahawks training camp ahead of his fourth NFL season. Metcalf is coming off a 2021 campaign in which he tallied his third season of 900 or more receiving yards and produced a career-high 12 touchdowns.
The former Pro Bowler's '21 season followed a failed attempt at qualifying for the Olympics in Tokyo.
In May of 2021, Metcalf finished 15th in the 17-man 100-meter field at the U.S.A. Track and Field Golden Games and Distance Open in Walnut, California. Metcalf, who hadn't run track since high school, turned in a time of 10.37, which was well short of the U.S. Olympics Trials automatic standard of 10.05.
Thus, Metcalf, who is 24 and will be 26 in the spring of 2024, has some work to do, but he was steadfast that the Olympics is a goal for him.
"Yeah, for sure," he said.
When asked if it was a legitimate one, Metcalf let it be known he wasn't in it for a hobby.
"No, I'm not – no, I'm not just running just to run," he said. "I can do that on a track somewhere. I'm trying to, I'm trying to go to the Olympics.
Metcalf has taken strides to become one of the elite wide receivers in the NFL, but he's clearly determined to take strides to qualify for Paris, as well.
"For sure, it's gonna happen," he said.
