Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin could or could not have taken a shot at Diontae Johnson of the Baltimore Ravens when Tomlin mentioned on Tuesday that the Ravens have “obtained extra vital items with bigger roles which can be occupying my consideration at this a part of the week” than the previous Pittsburgh large receiver.
Forward of Sunday’s recreation between the 7-3 Ravens and 7-2 Steelers at Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium, Johnson spoke about going through the membership that made him a third-round draft decide in 2019 and traded him to the Carolina Panthers this previous March.
“Man, I had a fantastic profession there. I cherished it,” Johnson mentioned Tuesday, as shared by Ryan Mink of the Ravens’ web site. “Nice metropolis, folks nice there. I do know what they’re about. I can not wait to get to Sunday to simply be again in that stadium.”
Johnson featured for the Steelers from 2019-23, nevertheless it grew to become clear by the tip of final season that the events have been headed towards a cut up earlier than he landed in Carolina forward of this 12 months’s draft. Each the Panthers and Johnson elected to finish that marriage after half a marketing campaign, nevertheless, and the 28-year-old ended up in Baltimore in late October.
Whereas some instructed Johnson constructed a repute for being a little bit of a diva throughout his Pittsburgh tenure, he revealed on Tuesday that he nonetheless speaks usually with a number of present Steelers gamers.
“I am able to get again there simply to see the nice those who I made relationships with and stuff like that,” Johnson mentioned. “However apart from that, it is a massive second for me.”
Johnson recorded only one catch for six yards throughout his first two video games with the Ravens, however Baltimore’s Rashod Bateman mentioned on Tuesday he’s “positively excited to see what we do with [Johnson]” transferring ahead. Some could assume the Ravens will give Johnson some extra seems towards the membership that dumped him roughly eight months in the past.
“They’re working me in there slowly, however, , I simply go on the market, at any time when they name my quantity, going to do my factor. So I can not go in there simply anticipating loads,” Johnson added. “I am placing quite a lot of strain on myself. Nevertheless the sport goes, I am all for it.”
As of Wednesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Ravens as three-point favorites for this weekend’s divisional conflict.
