Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson faced criticism on social media Sunday as the team looked to bounce back with a win against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The heat came in the first quarter as Jaylin Warren was given the ball on a handoff from Kenny Pickett. Warren fumbled the ball and Bengals cornerback D.J. Turner II recovered it.
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Diontae Johnson of the Pittsburgh Steelers works to keep possession of the ball during the Bengals game at Paycor Stadium on Nov. 26, 2023, in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
NFL fans watching the Steelers-Bengals game noticed Johnson not blocking on the run and acting nonchalantly as Turner recovered the fumble.
He faced accusations of not giving it all.
“Diontae Johnson really fired off the line,” NFL Network’s Andrew Siciliano wrote on X sarcastically.
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“Such a loser mentality by Diontae Johnson,” former NFL linebacker Will Compton added.
“Please don’t question Diontae Johnson’s effort,” comedian Cousin Sal wrote. “He took a lot of heavy contact to the sternum here.”
Diontae Johnson of the Steelers runs the ball against the Tennessee Titans at Acrisure Stadium on Nov. 2, 2023, in Pittsburgh. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Luckily, for Johnson, the Bengals didn’t take advantage of the turnover and were forced to go 3-and-out.
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Johnson had three catches for 38 yards before the whistle blew at the end of the second quarter. He was targeted six times. The Bengals led the Steelers 7-3 at the half.
The latest criticism came as ESPN reported that Johnson and Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick got into a “heated argument” after last week’s loss to the Cleveland Browns. Pittsburgh also fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada on Monday.
Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson during the Green Bay Packers game on Nov. 12, 2023, at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. (Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Johnson entered the game with 26 catches for 335 yards and a touchdown. He was a Pro Bowler in 2021.
