Category: Diontae Johnson

Steelers WR Diontae Johnson downplays reaction to Jaylen Warren fumble

The video clearly showed what Diontae Johnson did (or didn’t do) on Jaylen Warren’s fumble.

One of the most frustrating plays of Sunday’s Pittsburgh Steelers win over the Cincinnati Bengals was the fumble by running back Jaylen Warren in the first quarter. No, not because of the fumble but because of the reaction to the play by wide receiver Diontae Johnson.

The play started with Johnson making zero effort to block for Warren on the play. Then when the ball was loose, you can clearly see in the video below that Johnson looks right down at the ball and makes no effort to go after it. Then, when Cincinnati cornerback DJ Turner scoops it up and you see Johnson look at him running, he just continues his stroll to the sidelines.

After the game, Johnson tried to justify his lack of effort.

“No, I just didn’t see it,” Johnson said. “I was just doing what I was doing — blocking or whatever.”

If Johnson didn’t see that happen in front of him while he wasn’t blocking anyone, EA Sports might want to drop his awareness score on Madden 24.

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Steelers WR Diontae Johnson sounds off on Minkah Fitzpatrick feud: ‘Don’t get it twisted’

A scuffle between Diontae Johnson and Minkah Fitzpatrick that managed to stay under wraps all week stirred things up Saturday night thanks to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. 

A scuffle between Diontae Johnson and Minkah Fitzpatrick that managed to stay under wraps all week stirred things up Saturday night thanks to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Johnson’s frustration started on the sideline with Mike Tomlin and spilled into the locker room following the Steelers’ Week 11 loss to the Browns. Things got heated between Johnson and Fitzpatrick, and it took T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward to cool it down.

Speaking about it after the win, Johnson brushed it off as a typical occurrence between teammates.

“Y’all are outside looking in… that’s my brother out there,” Johnson told Steelers media. “Players are gonna be players, we’re passionate about the game, everybody wanna win. Y’all can’t look at it as, oh, we had an all-out brawl or whatever. It ain’t that. Don’t get it twisted. Players on each and every team talk junk to each other. We squashed it. We won the game, that’s all that matters.”

The media is great at making something out of nothing. That’s what appears happened here. Nothing to see… move along now.

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Diontae Johnson fined $25k for ripping NFL officials after Steelers loss to Jaguars

Diontae Johnson knew it would happen before the words even came out of his mouth.

Diontae Johnson knew it would happen before the words even came out of his mouth. He must’ve figured the fine notification he’d get a few days later would be worth it.

On Saturday, Johnson was fined $25k for comments stemming from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 8.

“They was calling some stupid stuff,” a fed-up Johnson said after the game. “They should get fined for calling bad, making worse, terrible calls and stuff like that. That’s how pissed I am. They cost us the game. I don’t care what nobody say. They cost us the game.”

“They wanted them to win, bro,” Johnson added. “They was calling, everything was in their favor. They was getting every little call, but it is what it is.”

The Steelers have been fined for 20 infractions this season, totaling $404,082. According to the NFL rule book’s accountability section, “fines collected are donated to the Professional Athletes Foundation to support legends in need and the NFL Foundation to further support the health, safety and wellness of athletes across all levels, including youth football and the communities that support the game.”

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Kenny Pickett’s take on why Steelers WR Diontae Johnson bailed on postgame interview

Diontae Johnson had his best game of the season on Thursday but didn’t want to make a big deal about it.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson had his best game in 11 calendar months and 11 NFL weeks against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday. The limelight was waiting for him to soak up after the 90-yard receiving, one-score performance, but he ghosted it.

Instead, Kenny Pickett was solo in the limelight of the Prime Video postgame interview.

“We wanted Diontae Johnson to join us for this interview so we could celebrate this moment he had tonight,” sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung told Pickett.

Pickett joked as to why Johnson bailed on the interview. “He’s a Florida boy, so it might be a little cold out here. Maybe that’s why he ran in. Hopefully next time he’ll get out here for this. I want to enjoy this with him for sure.”

He described the in-game effect Johnson had, even during his touchdown drought. “He’s been great. He always moves the chains. He gets open. He’s a real reliable guy.”

The five-year veteran was integral in pulling off another nail-biter. He contributed five first-down receptions, including a leaping catch to keep what would soon be a scoring drive on their first possession, and two explosive plays.

With the go-ahead touchdown catch, his first ever from Pickett, the Steelers held onto their 20-16 lead to improve to 5-3 on the season.

And a little weight has been lifted off Johnson’s shoulders in breaking his 21-game touchdown hiatus.

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Steelers WR Diontae Johnson misses practice with dreaded hamstring injury

Diontae Johnson popped up on the Steelers Week 8 injury report today.

Though it’s not clear if it’s a re-aggravation of the same injury that landed him on injured reserve, Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Diontae Johnson missed practice on Thursday with a hamstring.

He’s one of four new names on the injury report, including Cam Heyward, who returned to practice on Thursday. He remains on injured reserve (groin) and has a 21-day observation window.

Hopefully, it’s just a precaution because not having Johnson in the lineup in a potential playoff preview against the red-hot Jacksonville Jaguars would be a huge blow.

It was clear just how much he was missed when he suited up for the first time in four games versus the Los Angeles Rams. Johnson finished the day with 79 yards on five receptions, his best showing since Week 15 last season.

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Steelers WR Diontae Johnson responds to taunting penalty vs. Rams

Diontae Johnson was amped for his first game back since injuring his hamstring in Week 1.

Diontae Johnson was amped for his first game back since injuring his hamstring in Week 1. He showed it by helping get the Pittsburgh Steelers offense back on track and reveling in a little jawing with his defender.

Said defender happened to be former Steelers cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, with whom Johnson is “cool.” Only the referees didn’t know that — not that it would’ve mattered anyway.

“I got too excited in the moment,” Johnson admitted to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Brian Batko. “I didn’t really do nothin. I kinda went like this to him (using the quiet gesture). We cool… but the refs wouldn’t know.”

After two seasons in Pittsburgh, the team cut Witherspoon in May. He’s enjoyed a career resurgence since joining the Los Angeles Rams in June, notching two interceptions, four defended passes and 12 tackles (one for loss) in six starts.

In hindsight, Johnson knew he should’ve taken the higher road. “It was just one of those situations I could avoid and just be smart.”

Taunting typically carries a loss of 15 yards, but since Witherspoon interfered (if you can call it that) with Johnson, the penalties offset.

Johnson’s was the second taunting infraction of the game, as George Pickens got called for it on the previous drive.

Mike Tomlin has to reign in the stupid, avoidable penalties. But he’d rather say ‘whoa than sic ’em,’ so the players must show self-restraint in the future.

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Steelers QB Kenny Pickett on the Diontae Johnson effect

Diontae Johnson is back, and he showed up in a big way in the Steelers’ wild win over the Los Angeles Rams.

Diontae Johnson is back, and he showed up in a big way in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 24-17 win over the Los Angeles Rams.

In what was only their second third-down conversion of the day, Kenny Pickett hit Johnson for a 39-yard gain late in the third quarter.

“It was a really good route for him,” Pickett said in the postgame press conference. “He’s a great route-runner, gets separation. I just wanted to give him a chance to convert on third down.”

“It was great to have him back. I think you saw the effects it had having him and George out there on both sides, moving guys inside and out. They’re two tough guys that cover.”

Though the catch led to a game-tying Jaylen Warren score, he’s still looking for his own. A cloud hanging over Johnson’s head is a 20-game streak without a touchdown — his last came in Week 16 of the 2021 season.

Johnson finished the day with 79 yards on five receptions, his best showing since Week 15 last season.

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Diontae Johnson shares emphatic update on return from injured reserve

Diontae Johnson can’t come back soon enough.

Diontae Johnson can’t come back soon enough. Thankfully, his return seems to align with the initial timeline. A hamstring injury sent the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver to injured reserve following the Week 1 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

“Hell yeah, I’m coming back,” Johnson told Steelers media with a big ol’ smile on his face. “I’ve been working my behind off these past three, four weeks.”

Johnson said he’d just finished a rehab session with trainers, and things seem to be progressing smoothly.

“Everything looked great to them, and I feel completely great and healthy.”

The Pro Bowl receiver confirmed he’ll be ready to get back to work, on schedule, in preparation for their October 22 showdown versus the Rams in Los Angeles.

George Pickens aside, Pittsburgh’s offense has been riding the struggle bus. Having a player of Johnson’s caliber back on the field, running routes that leave defenders in the dust, is desperately needed to help get Kenny Pickett and company back on track.

And Johnson is undoubtedly itching to get that first touchdown since the 2021 season.

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Mike Tomlin gives ultimatum to Steelers WR Diontae Johnson

Steelers WR Diontae Johnson is getting some extra attention as he rehabs a hamstring injury that has him sidelined for the next two games.

Mike Tomlin is known around the league for being a players’ coach. He enjoys joking around just as much as he does mentoring and helping to be the best version of themselves.

While nursing a hamstring injury until at least after the Week 6 bye, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson was attended to by an athletic trainer and member of the receivers’ staff at practice today.

Tomlin strolls by and notices all of the pampering he’s getting. “Whatever you need,” he joked with Johnson. “I’ll get somebody here fanning a towel on your ass.”

All joking aside… “But you better play like that.”

Once Johnson returns, the Steelers expect him to play worthy of the attention he’s gotten (his $37 million contract notwithstanding). With the exception of a couple of explosive touchdowns — which just so happen to be the NFL’s longest pass plays — the receivers are struggling. It’s a result of Kenny Pickett trying to get his groove back, subpar offensive line play and questionable play-calling, but having Johnson back in the mix should do them some good.

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Diontae Johnson sidelined for multiple games with hamstring injury

The Pittsburgh Steelers announced that wide receiver Diontae Johnson is going on injured reserve with a hamstring injury suffered vs. 49ers.

The hamstring injury Diontae Johnson suffered in the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ 2023 season opener has landed him on injured reserve. With the designation, he’ll be out for a minimum of four weeks. Johnson will be eligible to return after the Steelers’ Week 6 bye in time for their tussle out west with the Los Angeles Rams.

The injury comes at a time when Johnson was ready to re-prove himself as a WR1. His zero-touchdown 2022 season tarnished what had been a pretty solid career. The silver lining is it’s only Week 2 and not the end of the season when Pittsburgh has hopes for a playoff push.

George Pickens, Allen Robinson and Calvin Austin III will hold down the fort until his return starting with the Cleveland Browns tonight at 8:15.

Anthony McFarland Jr. was also added to injured reserve with a knee injury.

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