4 most controversial Pittsburgh Steelers players entering 2022 season

1. Steelers WR Diontae Johnson

No player has been a bigger topic of discussion among Pittsburgh Steelers fans during the 2022 offseason than Diontae Johnson. While Minkah Fitzpatrick also needed a massive contract extension at one point, fans were much more unified in believing that the two-time All-Pro was one of the top players at his position.

When it comes to Johnson, however, fans and analysts couldn’t be much more divided. Nearly everyone believes that Johnson is at least a solid football player. But that’s not the issue. The question all along has been whether or not he should be paid like a top-10 receiver — something that could happen in the near future.

Johnson had a great start to his 2021 campaign after a very inconsistent 2020 season in which he led the NFL in dropped passes. Sadly, Johnson caused some controversy late in the season and into the playoffs as all 7 of his dropped passes came in the final 7 games when it mattered most.

While some fans believe that Johnson deserves to be paid like one of the best receivers in the NFL because of his impressive volume stats, others believe that he’s more of a product of the system and that the Steelers should draft a replacement as opposed to forking up elite money for a good receiver.

These four players could help silence critics and unify the fan base with impressive performances in 2022. There will always be debate among fans regarding certain players, and these four seem to be the most controversial on the Steelers as we approach the season.