Browns free-agent addition, receiver Diontae Johnson, had a solid five-year run with Pittsburgh to start his NFL career, averaging 56 yards per game over that span, including a 1,100-yard campaign in 2021. Heading into the final year of his deal with the Steelers, he was traded to Carolina and averaged 51 yards per game in his seven starts there. Once the Panthers knew they wouldn't re-sign Johnson or contend, they moved him to Baltimore at the deadline for pennies.
Johnson's issues last year were taken to another level with the Ravens, as he was suspended one game for conduct detrimental to the team. Baltimore waived him just two months after acquiring him, and the problems continued in his short stint with Houston. Appearing on the Sports and Suits podcast, Johnson opened up and told his side about what went wrong in a rough 2024 season.
Diontae Johnson speaks on suspension and release in a turbulent 2024 season
Starting with the Ravens, Johnson admitted he refused to enter a game in cold weather in Week 13 against the Eagles. While he mentions the cold multiple times, Johnson implied it was much more about what had happened in the weeks leading up to that game than it was the weather that made him opt against going in the game.
"I wasn’t getting into no run plays, no passing plays or nothing. It was cold. 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. It’s not like I didn’t wanna go into the game, but leading up to this point, I had been through so much… I told them I’m not finna go in, so I just sat on the bench, and that’s when they suspended me."Diontae Johnson
After Houston claimed him, Johnson said they got off to a great start together. However, he soon grew irritated with his role once he got through the introductory phase and was still not getting playing time. Johnson admitted he couldn't stay locked in mentally after that, and it eventually led to his release.
"When I got to Houston, things were going smooth. The way they made it feel was like they were going to be playing me a lot. I learned the playbook so fast, and then come gametime, they were putting in the younger guys—but I understand, it was the guys they drafted, so I gotta wait my turn… but I checked out mentally… After that, they said I was a distraction and they released me."Diontae Johnson
With the lack of proven depth in the Browns' receiving room heading into 2025, it's certainly not good to hear one of the few additions talk about refusing to enter games and struggling to stay focused. It's tough to completely blame Johnson, as he knew if he put out bad film, it would probably mark the end of his NFL career. However, the cold better not have been that much of a factor, because those late November to December games in Cleveland on the lake can be some of the coldest games.
Hopefully, Johnson can put a tough 2024 behind him and take some lessons from it to turn it around this year and get his NFL career back on track. The lack of guarantees in his contract makes this a low-risk move, but Johnson could do wonders to help the outlook of the receiving room this year.