If you thought the Pittsburgh Steelers dealing with George Pickens' problems in the aftermath of the 2024 season was hard, it's nothing compared to the antics Diontae Johnson displayed and the headache he put his teams through this past season.
You read that right: teams (plural). During the 2024 offseason, Pittsburgh traded Johnson to the Carolina Panthers, who turned around and traded Diontae to the Baltimore Ravens before the deadline, who later released the former star receiver.
Johnson was quickly scooped up by the Texans ahead of Houston's playoff run. But after their first postseason victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card round— a game where Johnson logged just one reception for 12 yards—the veteran is back on the street.
On January 14, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported that the Texans waived Diontae. Now the troubled wide receiver will be looking for his fifth team in less than one full calendar year.
The #Texans waived WR Diontae Johnson, who is now looking for his fifth team in a calendar year.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 14, 2025
You'd have to be doing something very wrong in order to have four teams give up on you in a matter of months. But Johnson clearly isn't worth the hassle and he might have run out of options for an NFL comeback.
Diontae Johnson shows why Steelers ditched him in 2024
When the Steelers traded Diontae Johnson last offseason, the move was met with plenty of criticism from fans. Though Johnson didn't have an efficient season in 2023 and had trouble staying healthy, he was collectively Pittsburgh's top wide receiver since trading Antonio Brown to the Raiders.
Wide receivers are a hot commodity in the NFL, and trading away an 'X' receiver who can create separation at will during the prime of his career seemed like a bizarre move. Now we see why it was so necessary.
As the Steelers were able to keep most of Johnson's antics under wraps, the three other NFL teams he played with in the months after being traded from Pittsburgh weren't going to deal with the headache.
Sadly, in what should be the best seasons of his NFL career, the 28-year-old wide receiver may have trouble finding a new home with so many teams giving up on him already. Receivers have a reputation for being divas, but there's only so much a coaching staff will put up with.
If you were wondering if the Steelers might be interested in a reunion, save your breath. Their reason for sending him packing is all the more justified at this point. Besides, they are in the midst of handling the George Pickens problem in Pittsburgh, and trading away Pickens isn't out of the question this offseason.
The Steelers have had their fill of drama at the position over the years, and Pittsburgh needs to start looking for no-nonsense receivers who aren't a ticking time bomb.