Steelers Presser: Mike Tomlin Barely Acknowledges Diontae Johnson

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin hasn't given much thought to Diontae Johnson's impact with the Baltimore Ravens.

Dec 18, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin talks to wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18) in the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers are set to square off against an old friend in Week 11 as wide receiver Diontae Johnson and the Baltimore Ravens come to town, but Mike Tomlin isn't putting much stock into the reunion.

During his press conference on Tuesday afternoon, the Steelers' head coach told reporters that he hadn't spent much time pondering Johnson and his potential role on Sunday afternoon given the fact that he has yet to find his footing with the Ravens.

"To be honest with you, I hadn't thought a lot about it," Tomlin said. "He's not on a lot of their video, and so at this stage of the week, I don't know that I've weighed what he might mean to the matchup. They got more significant pieces with larger roles that are occupying my attention at this part of the week."

Tomlin's comments could certainly be taken as somewhat of a jab at his former player, but there's also a lot of truth in what he said.

Johnson, of course, spent the first five seasons of his career in Pittsburgh, where he accumulated 4,363 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns on 391 receptions.

Ahead of the last year of his contract back in March, the Steelers sent him to the Carolina Panthers for cornerback Donte Jackson and a 2024 sixth-round pick, which was used to select Iowa defensive tackle Logan Lee.

In seven games as a Panther, Johnson posted 30 catches for 357 yards and three scores. As a result, he quickly became a highly sought-after option on the trade market given his status as an impending free agent and the fact that Carolina was not in contention for a playoff spot.

The 28-year-old, along with a 2025 sixth-round pick, would go on to land in Baltimore while a 2025 fifth-rounder went to the Panthers.

Johnson has had his playing time curtailed in a big way since becoming a Raven, however, as he's seen the field for only 23 snaps over his two games with the team while bringing in a single reception for six yards.

Baltimore has plenty of mouths to feed from Derrick Henry to Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Mark Andrews, so it's not a huge surprise that Johnson has taken a while to get settled in and build chemistry with Lamar Jackson.

That hasn't stopped him from expressing some apparent discontent, however. Johnson has also spoken about his appetite for a revenge game against the Steelers in the past, but that would require a significant uptick in his reps ahead of a AFC North matchup with major implications on short notice.

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