Wide receiver Diontae Johnson of the Pittsburgh Steelers has agreed to be traded to the Carolina Panthers. During the season, Johnson is said to have gotten into shouting fights with teammates and irritated Mike Tomlin for not trying more to recover a lost fumble.
Diontae Johnson, a wide receiver, will be traded by the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Carolina Panthers. This follows a tense season in which Johnson allegedly got into heated arguments with teammates and annoyed coach Mike Tomlin by not making a strong enough effort to recover a lost ball.
According to ESPN, the Panthers will trade cornerback Donte Jackson to the Steelers in exchange for Johnson, plus a late-round pick. Johnson was able to sign with another team before Friday, thus the Steelers will not be required to pay him the £2.25 million ($3 million) roster bonus.
In 2023, Johnson shared one of the most spectacular receiving rooms in the NFL with George Pickens, who was also criticized for his lack of effort. Johnson and Bryce Young, the first athlete selected in the 2023 draft, will now collaborate.
Lack of support caused Young to suffer in his rookie season, and he was unable to match the performance of C. J. Stroud, who was selected immediately after him. ESPN revealed in November of last year that Johnson and Steelers defender Minkah Fitzpatrick got into a furious fight.
A heated confrontation resulted from Fitzpatrick’s request that Johnson cease disparaging his coaches as they were leaving the field. Tomlin addressed the event with the entire squad because it was supposedly so serious and had a lasting effect on the locker room.
Johnson did not attempt to recover a lost ball in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals later the same month. The next week, Tomlin publicly commented on his lack of effort.
“Diontae can’t let the emotions of the previous down affect his next down, but I’ll give him an opportunity to address that with you guys,” Tomlin told the press. I’ll give him a chance to talk to his teammates about that. I will not be adding any more color. I believe that people who are involved in the play are the ones who should best describe and outline it, not guys like me.”
For a large portion of the 2023 season, Pittsburgh’s offense appeared dysfunctional, with Kenny Pickett and Mitchell Trubisky having trouble behind center before Mason Rudolph briefly lifted the team. On November 20, the team let offensive coordinator Matt Canada depart in an unusual move by its usually forbearing ownership.
Russell Wilson, the quarterback for the Steelers, was signed this week to vie for the starting position. Wilson had a lengthy and prosperous tenure with the Seattle Seahawks before spending the last two seasons with the Denver Broncos.
With Johnson gone, Pickens becomes Pittsburgh’s clear-cut first-choice wide receiver. Working the seams, tight end Pat Freiermuth will attempt to offer offensive balance.
However, it’s uncertain how much the 25-year-old could be expected to contribute by the Steelers after an injury-plagued season. Johnson caught 391 passes for 4,463 yards and 25 touchdowns in five seasons with Pittsburgh. In 2021, he got into the Pro Bowl.