It’s been a tough week for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson.
From the frustrations in Cleveland in a 13-10 loss to the Browns, to a reported argument in the locker room with safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, to a dropped touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday, Johnson had his fair share of angst. It snowballed after that though as he put some poor effort on tape on the very next rep after his dropped touchdown that should have been challenged for a touchdown.
On a 3rd-and-9 play, Johnson walked off the line of scrimmage after the snap and then stood around as running back Jaylen Warren fumbled the football. Cincinnati rookie cornerback DJ Turner II scooped up the fumble after being lined up over Johnson and returned the football to near midfield before tight end Connor Heyward made a tackle.
The effort – or lack thereof from Johnson — was startling and had former NFL offensive lineman turned media member Taylor Lewan disgusted Monday morning during his appearance on the Kay Adams Show.
“I would hate to soil anybody, but that is disgusting. That play, it should never, ever, ever be tolerated. Even if it’s like, ‘Hey, it’s an inside zone run. You have the corner, you know the corner’s man on you. Just don’t put your hands on ’em and put a little bit of effort.’ Like, you guys are in the hunt,” Lewan said of Johnson’s effort on the play, according to video via the show’s Twitter page. “You guys are typically in a Wild Card spot right now. And that’s just, that’s gross. And the fact that you’re getting an argument with Minkah, to me that’s like, well, your ego is just in the way.
“Your ego is just in the way ’cause effort, you can’t teach heart. You gotta have that. He’s a talented individual. He is a talented football player. But that’s the kind of stuff that just gets you beat, right?”
It was an ugly moment for Johnson, which came one play after he couldn’t hold onto the football in the end zone, drawing the ire of fans within Steeler Nation.
Johnson has been a calming voice of reason within the wide receiver room at times this season, but in recent weeks he’s let the frustration get to him and has lashed out. That’s what he did on that play Sunday, too. He lashed out, let his ego get in the way, like Lewan said, and hurt the team.
Now, it becomes how the Steelers and head coach Mike Tomlin address it.
For Lewan, it would be simple.
“If I’m Mike [Tomlin], I’m in that team meeting with him the next day. And I’m just playing it. I’m not saying a word, I’m just playing it over and over again, back and forth, back and forth, making the whole room uncomfortable. Like, is he gonna say anything? Is he gonna do anything? And just take a deep breath and be like, ‘What are we doing here?'” Lewan said of how he’d handle it. “Like, ‘what are we looking at right now? Is this, is this what we want to be?’ That’s what football is, man. It’s keeping people accountable.
“If 11 guys on the field, everyone’s gotta do their job and there’s literally a fumble. That would’ve been a gross play if he doesn’t he fumble, and he gets a three-yard gain or whatever it is, and then it’s over. But he fumbles and then [Johnson] looks at, watches the turnover and he hits like this B.S fat-guy trot as the guys are running. It’s just, you can’t do a fat-guy trot. Dude, it’s bad ball. And I hate that. Can’t fat-guy trot; really makes my skin crawl seeing that.”
Lewan, to his credit, nails it. He has a bad history with Steelers fans, having spit in T.J. Watt’s face during a game once. But he tells it like it is and didn’t hold back here, ripping Johnson.
The effort on the play was awful to see. So much better is expected of a guy who carries himself like a team leader and aspires to be a captain. As Lewan said, Johnson let his ego get in the way on the play. He was upset that the catch wasn’t ruled a touchdown and that the Steelers didn’t challenge, taking a big play away from him.
But you have to have the next-play mentality. Johnson didn’t have it here.
