The Pittsburgh Steelers rebounded in their second straight trip to Ohio in Week 12, defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 16-10. But Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson still faced questions following the win for an incident from the previous week.
After beating the Bengals, Johnson attempted to downplay a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter that he engaged in a “heated locker-room argument” with safety Minkah Fitzpatrick following the Week 11 loss to the Cleveland Browns.
“That’s my brother at the end of the day,” Johnson said to reporters of Fitzpatrick on November 26, via Steelers Now’s Nick Farabaugh. “Players, we’re gonna be players. We’re passionate about the game. Everybody wants to win.
“You can’t look at it as we had an all-out brawl or whatever. It ain’t that. Don’t get it twisted. Everybody do it on each and every team.”
Schefter reported on November 25 that Johnson and Fitzpatrick had such a “heated post-game locker-room argument” after losing to the Browns on November 19 that veteran defenders Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt had to break up the two players.
“Sources: Steelers WR Diontae Johnson got into a heated post-game locker-room argument last Sunday with teammate Minkah Fitzpatrick, before Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt broke up the altercation and delivered a message that the team needed to stick together,” Schefter wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Sources: Steelers WR Diontae Johnson got into a heated post-game locker-room argument last Sunday with teammate Minkah Fitzpatrick, before Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt broke up the altercation and delivered a message that the team needed to stick together.…
Steelers’ Diontae Johnson Downplays ‘Altercation’ with Minkah Fitzpatrick
It’s clear something happened between Johnson and Fitzpatrick after the Week 11 loss. Otherwise, Johnson would have declined anything occurred.
But it’s impossible to know the exact extent of the incident between the two players.
What one person may describe as a heated argument may not be one to another person. Schefter wasn’t in the Steelers locker room to witness the event himself.
While Johnson didn’t necessarily say that the incident wasn’t an argument, he said it was far from reaching the level of “an all-out brawl.”
Johnson essentially added that the team has moved passed the incident, especially after beating the Bengals on November 26.
The veteran wide receiver emphasized the victory on social media.
“We won that’s all that matters,” Johnson wrote along with two emojis on his X account.
We won that’s all that matters 😂🤷🏾♂️
Johnson Faces Questions for Effort on Fumble in Week 12
Steelers media on X appeared to move on from Johnson’s reported argument with Fitzpatrick as well but onto another controversy involving the receiver.
Immediately after failing to secure a touchdown pass, Johnson didn’t appear to give much effort to block any Bengals defenders on a third-and-2 run. Then when Steelers running back Jaylen Warren fumbled, Johnson didn’t try to recover the loose ball.
Johnson received criticism for the play on social media.
“Yeah … Diontae Johnson has completely given up with the Steelers,” A to Z Sports’ Brandon Little wrote on X.
Yeah… Diontae Johnson has completely given up with the Steelers.
Sports Illustrated’s Michael Fabiano also questioned Johnson’s dedication to the Steelers.
“Diontae Johnson out here trying to get cut by the Steelers?” Faniano asked on X.
Diontae Johnson out here trying to get cut by the Steelers?
Johnson explained to reporters after the game that he wasn’t aware Warren had fumbled.
“No, I just didn’t see it,” Johnson said, via Farabaugh. “I was just doing what I was doing — blocking or whatever.”
Johnson also received criticism for that response.
“I think he was doing the ‘or whatever,'” Jay wrote on X.
@FarabaughFB I think he was doing the “or whatever”
As Johnson pointed out on his own X account, the Steelers won the game. That’s what matters most.
But it will be interesting to see if there’s any other fallout from Johnson’s effort on Warren’s fumble.
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Steelers’ Diontae Johnson Claps Back at ‘Heated Locker-Room Argument’ Report