When Diontae Johnson joined the Pittsburgh Steelers through the 2019 Draft, he carried the reputation of being one of the franchise’s brightest offensive prospects, but the very next season, his catch drops started piling up. The same Pittsburgh fans who saw him as the future leader of the receiving unit became increasingly frustrated with him, putting him at the center of online scrutiny. Looking back now, the 29-year-old explained how the backlash became harsh and more personal than it should have been.

“In Pittsburgh, every week. No disrespect to the fan base. But every week, bro, like you do the littlest thing, they f to bash you, DM you,” said Diontae Johnson on the Off The Clock podcast. “It’s like you like I’m out here trying to mess up, bro. Like everybody ain’t perfect  I’m sure you ain’t perfect at your job. 2020 year bro, when I had all them drops, that was the toughest year.”

Johanson became a starter in his rookie season, starting 12 games and logging 680 receiving yards. The following season, he kept his elite production but was painfully inconsistent, affecting the performance of the entire Steelers offense.

The former WR1’s catching efficiency turned into a glaring issue, as he dropped 13 passes out of 144 targets. In that season, he also held the record for dropping the most passes in the league, surpassing the former New York Giants tight end Evan Engram.

Apart from those costly drops, the second NFL season turned out to be fairly impressive after recording 923 receiving yards from 13 starts alongside 7 touchdowns. Nevertheless, the 2021 campaign saw him make a big turnaround with his catching issue, dropping only 5 passes while registering 1161 receiving yards. It was statistically the best season of his NFL career, as he made the Pro Bowl.

Despite a tremendous growth in his Pro Bowl-winning season, a storm of controversies followed him throughout his career, cutting both his Steelers stint and his NFL journey. He had locker room altercations with his teammates and coaching staff in Pittsburgh.

During the 2022 season, the former wide receiver was involved in a heated locker room right with then-Steelers starting quarterback Mitch Trubisky. The very next season, after a 13-10 defeat against the Cleveland Browns, Johnson erupted in the locker room and vented his anger at the coaching staff. The verbal arguments escalated when he got physical with safety, Minkah Fitzpatrick.

He continued to be a locker room headache even after leaving the Acrisure Stadium. During the Week 13 game of the 2024 season, when he was playing for the Baltimore Ravens, Johnson refused to play against the Philadelphia Eagles, resulting in suspension and waiver from the team.

The former Pro Bowler didn’t play the 2025 season, but he is aiming to make a comeback this season.

Diontae Johnson is looking to make an NFL comeback

Diontae Johnson was scheduled to play for the Cleveland Browns in 2025 after he signed a $1.17 million contract, but he was waived during the roster cut, leaving him without a team last season. At 29, he still has hunger and drive to thrive in the NFL, as he is reportedly eyeing a big comeback this year.

Although the Pro Bowler remains without a team, he is putting in the work to revive his fading career. Recently, he was seen practicing hard during a WR workshop in Miami.

The annual workshop is designed for elite wide receivers in the league who are looking to improve footwork, conditioning, and route running. However, there has been a big gap in his career after his last league snap in the 2024-2025 season. The latter part of his career saw him moving from the Panthers, Ravens, Texans, and the Browns.

There is no question about his immense talent on the field, but the shadow of his past controversies stands in his way. If he starts fresh in the NFL, the focus should be on avoiding repeating past mistakes.