Mississippi’s own DK Metcalf is looking to give back to a community that played an influential role in his upbringing through a new scholarship program.
The Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and his family announced Monday that they are launching the Met the Moment Scholarship through their nonprofit organization, the Seven Pillars Foundation, to support students at both Lafayette and Oxford high schools.
According to the Metcalf family, the scholarships will be awarded each spring, with a $5,000 award being presented to a graduating senior at both schools. Applications will open during each academic year. The scholarships will recognize students who demonstrate leadership, selflessness and a commitment to serving others, while also taking financial need into consideration.
“This is something my family has discussed for some time as a way to support young people in our community who are entering an exciting new chapter in their lives, but may also face a heavy financial burden,” DK Metcalf said. “Oxford is home for us, and through the Seven Pillars Foundation, we hope this scholarship is another way we can make a positive impact on a community that has given our family so much through the years.”
Additional application details, eligibility requirements, and selection criteria will be made available through each school’s established scholarship process. The first recipients will be selected and announced in the spring following the applicable school-year application period.
“Many people talk about helping out in their hometowns, but Mr. Metcalf does not just send a check to help, he is a leader and mentor for our students. His care for them is shown because he visits – he literally shows up,” Oxford High School Principal Dr. Dana Bullard said.
“We are blessed to receive this generous donation from the Metcalf family and the Seven Pillars Foundation. We are proud to partner with our community members in ensuring a better future for our students,” Lafayette High School Principal Eric Robertson added.
Metcalf spent his prep years at Oxford High School before going to Ole Miss, where he played from 2016-18. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He was traded to Pittsburgh in 2025. The big and speedy wideout is a two-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro.
His father, Terrence Metcalf, is currently on staff at Ole Miss under the guidance of Pete Golding. He is a College Football Hall of Famer and former Rebel standout who once blocked for Eli Manning. He also spent six seasons with the Chicago Bears in the early 2000s.
As for the family’s foundation, it was inspired by the Biblical passage Proverbs 9:1 — “Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out her seven pillars.” The family said the nonprofit’s focus is on faith and family, maternal health, mental health, men’s health and fatherhood, mentorship and youth development, scholarship and education, and community engagement and service.
