Former Pittsburgh Steelers star receiver Diontae Johnson has continued to tank his career since leaving The Steel City. It is an astounding failure by the wide receiver, who produced a promising career during his time in Pittsburgh. He was traded to the Carolina Panthers last offseason, and everything has gone downhill from there.
In a recent interview with the Sport and Suits Podcast, Johnson made a shocking admission in which he refused to play for Baltimore because it was cold.
"I wasn’t getting into no run plays, no passing plays or nothing. It was cold," Johnson said on the podcast. "End of the third going into the fourth, they were like, ‘Tae, we need you.’ I was like, ‘Nah, I don’t think it’s a good idea for me. Like, my legs are already ice cold, and I didn’t wanna go out there and put bad stuff on film."
The former top receiver for the Steelers refused to enter the game because he was worried about producing bad film. He focused on whoever his next employer was at that point. Any type of snaps with Baltimore would've been better than giving up on the team. Now, he has one of the most toxic personalities in football, and this new set of comments has added fuel to the fire.
He played on three different teams last season, which saw him traded twice and claimed off waivers twice.
His time with the Baltimore Ravens appeared to be a promising spot, but Johnson threw that opportunity away. He is now with the Cleveland Browns, where he continued to pile onto his toxic reasoning for his failure with the Ravens. He continues to show his true colors, and it isn't pretty.
Pittsburgh Steelers can't help but laugh after receiver Diontae Johnson's latest admission
Johnson's complaints about being in the cold are crazy, but it's not something foreign in the NFL.
Most players would prefer to play in a dome or a warm climate. Not wanting to play football in cold weather isn't an atrocious statement. Still, the veteran receiver is someone who played five years with the Steelers and had a terrific opportunity to bounce back with Baltimore.
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The ex-Steelers receiver decided to throw away his chance to rebuild a career on the decline, but he spat in its face. Baltimore had a fantastic roster, and the veteran could have played a massive role for their offense. He declined to take advantage of everything in front of him, just from the chill in the air. He could've warmed up with some snaps on the field, but he continues to blame everyone else.
Johnson tried to defend himself.
"It’s not like I didn’t wanna go into the game, but leading up to this point, I had been through so much..." Johnson continued. "I told them l’m not finna go in, so I just sat on the bench, and that’s when they suspended me.”
His refusal to enter the game because of an injury concern is one thing, but that is not what Johnson admitted to on this podcast. He didn't want to go into the game for fear of making a poor play. No team in the NFL wants a player who quits on his team. The Steelers should be thrilled with how they handled Johnson during his time in Pittsburgh. It could've been much worse.
Johnson's disastrous campaign has led to a difficult point in his career, and he could be out of the NFL if he fails to make a miraculous comeback this season. Diontae appears to hate the cold, but he signed with the Cleveland Browns because his opportunities were slim pickings. Going from one cold-weather team to another is a bold choice, but that is the corner this receiver has pushed himself into.