Wide receiver Diontae Johnson of the Pittsburgh Steelers doesn’t really hide his emotions very well on the field. After Week 12, the wideout didn’t hold back his emotions on social media.
Johnson responded on his X (formerly Twitter) account in the face of criticism about his effort on one play during Week 12.
“Hmmm…. better luck next time,” Johnson tweeted in response to the MLFootball X account.
In MLFootball’s original tweet, the account ripped Johnson for his effort on a play that resulted in a Jaylen Warren lost fumble for the Steelers.
“BAD BAD LOOK… Steelers WR Diontae Johnson is not moving at all on this play despite the ball bouncing in front of him… does not even go for the fumble.”
Johnson also responded to the Barstool Sports X account, which made fun of Johnson for his effort on the lost fumble.
“You just can’t teach this kind of effort,” posted Barstool Sports in a video caption of the fumble.
“Well that came out of no where,” Johnson wrote back.
Steelers’ Diontae Johnson Addresses Effort on Fumble in Week 12
Johnson first received questions for his effort on the play where Warren fumbled from the media in the locker room after Week 12. The 27-year-old receiver tried to explain that he didn’t realize his teammate fumbled.
“No, I just didn’t see it,” Johnson said, via Steelers Now’s Nick Farabaugh. “I was just doing what I was doing — blocking or whatever.”
That response wasn’t the best according to one X user, who wrote that Johnson was “doing the ‘or whatever'” on the play.
If Johnson wanted to reply to every social media user who criticized him for his lack of effort on Warren’s fumble, he would likely be on his phone the entire week. In NFL circles, Johnson went trending because of reactions from the play.
“Yeah … Diontae Johnson has completely given up with the Steelers,” A to Z Sports’ Brandon Little wrote on X.
Peter King Reacts to Johnson’s Effort in Week 12
In his weekly column for Week 12, American sports writer Peter King named Steelers’ Eddie Faulkner and Mike Sullivan his coaches of the week. But there was a much bigger takeaway for Pittsburgh’s future in the column.
King argued that the Steelers could be close to getting tired of Johnson’s baggage.
“I think at some point soon—if it isn’t happening right now—the Steelers are going to have to ask themselves: Are the dogging-it and drops by Diontae Johnson really worth the trouble?” King wrote.
Johnson is under contract with the Steelers for one more season after 2023. But according to Over the Cap, Johnson has no guaranteed money in the final year of his deal. The Steelers could cut him and save $10 million in cap space.
Releasing Johnson would result in only a $5.83 million dead cap hit.
Steelers Depot’s Joe Clark argued that moving on from Johnson before the 2024 season “doesn’t feel like a move” the Steelers would make. But patience for Johnson in the organization could still potentially be growing thin. Perhaps that means it will impact his extension chances in Pittsburgh.
Just prior to Warren’s fumble, Johnson failed to secure a touchdown pass. On the replay, it appeared Johnson had already tapped his feet in the end zone three times, but because he didn’t control the ball to the ground, the officials ruled the pass incomplete.
In seven games this season, Johnson has posted 30 receptions for 385 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback play has hurt him, but Johnson has 1 touchdown in his past 24 contests.
Johnson has caused headaches away from the field as well. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Johnson got into a heated locker room-argument with safety Minkah Fitzpatrick after the Steelers lost in Week 11.
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Steelers WR Diontae Johnson Tells Off Media Questioning His Effort