It was an ugly two-play sequence for Pittsburgh Steelers veteran wide receiver Diontae Johnson Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.
On a 2nd and 9, Johnson made what appeared to be a touchdown catch in the back of the end zone on a strong throw from quarterback Kenny Pickett. But he was unable to hold onto the ball through the ground, resulting in an incompletion.
The play should have been challenged as Johnson took three steps with the football, which made it a dead ball and a touchdown. Instead, the Steelers didn’t challenge, and Johnson was rather frustrated.
Those emotions carried over into the next play as Johnson walked off the line of scrimmage, blocked nobody and gave no effort after running back Jaylen Warren’s fumble, which drew the ire of media and the fans.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday during his weekly press conference that he wouldn’t add “color” to the incident, stating that he will give Johnson the opportunity to address it with his teammates and the media, though he did criticize Warren’s ball security on the play, which isn’t unexpected.
“We gotta take care of the ball. It is our desire, it’s how we construct victory, and so Jaylen’s gotta do a better job there. Diontae can’t let the emotions of the previous down affect his next down, but I’ll give him an opportunity to address that with you guys. I’ll give him an opportunity to address that with his teammates,” Tomlin said to reporters Tuesday, according to video via the Steelers’ YouTube page. “I’m not gonna add any additional color. I think plays like that are best described and outlined by those involved and less so by guys like me.
“I keep my attention on challenging things, things that await us this week, schematic preparation for Arizona and the readiness of this group. It’s something that he [Johnson] needs to answer for, and so I’ll give him an opportunity to do that. His teammates will give him an opportunity to do that, and I won’t provide any color until he does.”
That might not be the answer many want to hear, especially with the frustrations with Johnson mounting from the fan base and the media, but it’s the correct way to handle the situation from Tomlin’s perspective. He’s not going to say something in the media he wouldn’t say to Johnson, and with the players having Monday and Tuesday off following the win over the Bengals, Johnson will have the opportunity to address the situation on Wednesday when the players return to the facility to start preparing for the Arizona Cardinals.
Make no mistake about it: it was an ugly showing from Johnson. The effort off the line in the run game was really poor, but then the lack of awareness on the play with the ball bouncing right past him, and then never even attempting to make a play on the football or the defender on the fumble return made it all the worse.
At this point in Johnson’s career, it’s a play that can’t happen from a guy who carries himself and views himself as a leader in the locker room. Johnson, to his credit, has done a better job of controlling his emotions this season, but in the last two weeks he’s lost control of those emotions in ugly ways.
Now, he has to answer for it, especially to his teammates.
For former NFL defensive end and Green Light Podcast host Chris Long and former NFL guard Kyle Long, there needs to be a conversation had with Johnson in the locker room from the Steelers’ leaders.
“Well, he’s got skills. I’m not rooting against him, but I would tell you this: if I were in that locker room, and it wouldn’t be me because I was never a captain, but somebody has to go talk to that guy. Somebody has to go and have a conversation with him,” Kyle Long said regarding Johnson’s lack of effort, according to video via the Green Light show’s Twitter page. “I’d like to hear what he has to say.”
For Chris Long, that conversation wouldn’t be harsh, it would just be one that centers on his mental well-being.
“What I would say is, ‘Are you good man?’ That’s how you…’Are you good? Like, ’cause he knows he can’t have that, but just, hey, like, what’s going on? Is it…something in your personal life? Is it something at home? Is it something with the offense? Reach out and take the temperature on this guy, ’cause there’s stuff going on that I’m not seeing,” Chris Long stated.
That’s a reasonable way to approach the Johnson situation. You defuse it right away by showing some care and compassion for the player, rather than making it confrontational. Maybe there is something going on away from the game that is affecting Johnson, leading to him lashing out in recent weeks.
Or maybe he is just frustrated with the offense overall and his general lack of production.
Whatever it may be, he cannot let his emotions get the best of him like he did on Sunday. He’s a better player and leader in the receiver room than that. He has to answer for it, and he will.
