Tag: Drama

Fans react to Diontae Johnson’s recent drama in Baltimore

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Former Steelers WR Diontae Johnson is seemingly back to stirring up drama in Baltimore.

Well, Baltimore, Pittsburgh tried to warn you. It has seemingly taken former Steelers receiver Diontae Johnson only two weeks with his new team to find himself embroiled in drama once again.

While Steelers fans laughed off the trade that sent Johnson from Carolina to the Ravens, no one could have predicted his impact would be minimal to nonexistent.

Johnson has played only 22 total snaps in his first two weeks with the Ravens, seeing just two targets and one reception for six yards during that time.

The former Steelers wide receiver proved exactly why Pittsburgh dealt him to Carolina in the first place, as Johnson took his frustrations—and immaturity—to social media following the Ravens’ Week 10 victory.

Johnson has since deleted the tweet, foreshadowing a potential implosion within the Ravens’ organization just waiting to happen. Here are some of the best fan reactions to Diontae Johnson’s Week 10 meltdown.

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Derek Carr responds to Michael Thomas: ‘I probably didn’t throw the best ball’

Derek Carr says he understands why Michael Thomas became so frustrated last season, taking accountability for throwing a poor pass on the receiver’s season-ending injury:

Michael Thomas raised an uproar on social media this week when he publicly criticized the New Orleans Saints — taking aim at the play calling, coaching decisions, and quarterback Derek Carr, all of which he blamed for his poor production in 2023. It’s likely going to be his last year in black and gold.

To his credit, Carr didn’t disagree with Thomas’ assessment. He responded to the criticism during an appearance on the Two Gs in a Pod show with James Jones and Amber Theoharis. Carr took some accountability for the play that resulted in a season-ending injury to Thomas, which the receiver described as being “set up by a bad ball.”

“I probably didn’t throw the best ball. If that’s how he wants to view it and how he wants to see it, completely fine by me,” Carr said. Carr placed the ball too high and too far behind his target, requiring Thomas to awkwardly contort in midair to try and make a play. His legs tangled up with those of the defender covering him, which led to Thomas’ left leg initially catching in the turf before whipping around painfully, injuring his knee. A lower pass leading Thomas in stride could have lessened the risk of injury.

Thomas also pointed out that the Saints weren’t making an effort to get him the ball last season, which Carr validated. Their younger second-year wideout Chris Olave was the focal point of the offense, not Thomas.

Carr continued: “I also understand that when I came in the building we had Chris Olave, who they were trying to train to be the number-one guy. So all of a sudden, every rep and every read in practice is Chris first. And as a superstar that Mike is and as he has been, I can understand you’re dealing with all the injury noise, you’re dealing with Chris becoming the guy — and he loves Chris, that’s his guy at Ohio State and all that — but I can understand where the frustration starts to build. I understand where all those things begin to take place.”

No position is more dependent factors outside their control than wide receiver. They can’t draw up the plays to have the ball go their way, and they can’t throw it to themselves. If a receiver is stuck playing with a bad quarterback or play caller their numbers are going to suffer for it. It’s why the position generates so many big personalities. Like it or not, it’s an approach a lot of receivers take. As Brandin Cooks expressed back in 2016, “Closed mouths don’t get fed.”

Still, Carr adds, he wishes Thomas had reached out privately to hash out these frustrations rather than aired them online. If this it for them as teammates, Carr said he wishes Thomas all the best: “I hope Mike finds what he’s looking for. I hope he gets everything he wants, in life, because I do love Mike. But in that moment I didn’t really like it. Just call me bro.”

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Texans WR Chris Moore says Brandin Cooks is a ‘great player, great leader’

Moore went out of his way to be complimentary of Cooks, who missed the Texans’ Week 9 matchup against the Eagles after being denied a trade

Brandin Cooks may have missed the Houston Texans’ Week 9 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles for “personal” reasons, but that hasn’t shaken his teammates’ belief in his ability to serve as an effective leader for the team’s group of receivers moving forward. Though fans may have been disappointed that Cooks took the Texans’ inability to honor his (reported) wishes of a trade at the deadline to heart, wideout Chris Moore seems confident as ever in the star receiver’s ability to remain a rock for Houston’s offense, both on and off the field.

Moore spoke to reporters on Tuesday after practice, and made it clear that he and the rest of the Texans’ pass catchers still look to Cooks as an inspiring leader, despite the drama that has played out in the last week. Cooks has been back with the team since missing the game against Philadelphia, and to hear Moore tell it, is still in good standing with the offensive crew.

“He’s our leader in our receiver room,” He explained. “It’s very important. We love him. He’s a great player, he’s a great leader, he’s a great man. When all that stuff happened, we all know or at least most of us because we’ve all been here (in the NFL) a while, that’s just part of the business. You never know really what’s going to happen and either way we’re happy to have him back and see him in the building.”

The circumstances surrounding the comments may be less than ideal, but at least it doesn’t seem that Cooks’ situation has in any way tainted the cohesion of the offense at large. In fact, his response to the (perceived) adversity of being denied a trade may prove to have sparked a call to action for Lovie Smith and his coaching staff as they seek to use Cooks’ talent to the greatest possible extent while he remains on the roster.