The Steelers gave a lot of money to Diontae Johnson this summer after a breakout 2021 season where he became the fourth receiver in franchise history to record at least 100 catches and 1,000 yards receiving in a single season.
So far in 2022, he's been a non-factor in the Steelers' offense far too often, and the frustration that's caused nearly boiled over after Sunday's loss to the Bengals.
"Any football player would be frustrated. I just got to keep playing," Johnson said after Sunday's game. "It's the situation I'm in, so I gotta deal with it."
Johnson only had 21 yards on four catches Sunday evening, and he's only tallied 456 yards on 51 catches for the season. His 8.9 yards per reception is two whole yards lower than it was one season ago. Most important, he's been kept out of the end zone all season.
By comparison, through the team's first 10 games last season, Johnson had 59 catches for 714 yards and four touchdowns, and he was inactive for one of those games.
It was only a matter of time before the questions were going to start being aimed at Mike Tomlin, especially since the organization invested $36.71 million with $27 million guaranteed in Johnson.
"Diontae is a known commodity within the group. People are going to have an agenda to minimize his impact on the game, particularly in significant moments (such as) possession downs, red zone football," Tomlin said during his Tuesday press conference at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. "We've got a guy that's been a Pro Bowler. And really, he's kind of the only one. We've got a young group. That's a component of it."
Pickett spoke at length about how the Bengals were doubling up Johnson, which forced him to go to other targets throughout the game. Even so, receivers that have accomplished the things that Johnson has will garner plenty of attention, especially when it's a divisional opponent coming off of a bye.
That doesn't mean being a complete non-factor in a big game won't bring on frustration.
"There's nothing new about that. You talk about any experienced receiver that gets minimized on the weekend, there's frustration associated with it," Tomlin said. "I imagined Tyler Boyd wanted the ball more than he got, but we were able to identify and try to minimize his impact on the game because they didn't have [Ja'Marr] Chase for them. That's just things that transpire each and every week inside NFL stadiums from a strategy standpoint."
Johnson has yet to eclipse the 100-yard mark in a game this season, with the highest total in a game being 84 yards. Over the past five games, Johnson has tallied more than 50 yards in a game just once. In addition, his targets have diminished down the stretch. Johnson was targeted 50 times during the first five games, but has only seen 36 targets since.
In the wake of a frustrating season, Johnson has put on a brave face and tried to be a leader -- sometimes in ways that aren't necessarily in his wheelhouse.
At the same time, Tomlin doesn't feel the need to go over and hold his hand through tough times such as these.
"He's a professional. Obviously, there's frustration. He wants to be a component of why we win; a significant component," Tomlin said. "But he's also a professional and he understands the dynamics of team play and what has transpired for him to get opportunities. As a young guy, he's been a beneficiary of that in the past because people have focused their energies on other known guys."
Ironically, that might be how Johnson becomes more of a factor in the offense over the final seven games of the season and in the future.
"Other guys make plays," Tomlin said. "[George] Pickens had a nice game. [Pat] Freiermuth had a nice game. Those things create opportunities and balance within your attack, and opportunities for a guy like Diontae."
Having a rookie quarterback that is learning while on the job definitely plays a factor into the offense's inconsistency. But, as Pickett begins to grow more and more comfortable, it should make it easier for everyone involved. In turn, everyone should then benefit from that as Pickett matures as an NFL quarterback.
At the end of the day, this is a new challenge in Johnson's career. He emerged as a younger player and went from being a third-round pick into a Pro Bowl player. Now, teams are treating him like it.
While he could use a hand from Tomlin and better scheming from Matt Canada, it's ultimately up to Johnson to create his own opportunities, especially when defenses are going all out to eliminate him. That's when good receivers turn into great receivers.
MORE FROM THE SOUTH SIDE
• Bengals' linebacker Germaine Pratt helped incite some criticism on Tomlin and Canada for the Steelers' scheming -- particularly in the second half -- in Sunday's loss to the Bengals, saying, "We knew what they were going to do. They like to run the same plays over and over."
Tomlin was asked about this Tuesday, and gave a lengthy response that admitted some faults, but also contextualized the claim.
"That's what they say when they're having success. They don't say it when they're not. So, I don't worry much about that," Tomlin replied. "I focus on the things that are within our control. When I look at the tape, there were some repeat concepts, but Cincinnati was in some repeat concepts. And that's football. When it’s good-on-good, particularly in the latter part of the season, there’s very little secrets. I don't know if we were all that surprised by anything that they did offensively.
"So, then it comes down to execution. That’s where I like to keep our focus. Man, we’ve got to execute better, we’ve got to make makeable plays. And that's our goal. That’s where our focus is as we lean in on this week's opportunity, and less about some of the fodder that you speak of."
• Tomlin fields questions on Pickett's progress every Tuesday. And every Tuesday, Tomlin acquiesces in his own way. This week, there was a bit of a pushback.
"He’s getting better in all areas, guys, just the same way that George Pickens is getting better. I'm not going to comb through it every week. It’s moving in the direction that we would like it to," Tomlin said. "Sure, could it move faster? Absolutely. I don't think anybody is patient, including Kenny. This is not a patient man's business. You work while you wait, and that's what he and we are doing. But he's doing a nice job just in general."
As I've written multiple times, it takes time for a rookie quarterback to develop. Pickett clearly has some things to work on, but he's not unique to that. Progress over the course of the season is all that matters when it comes to Pickett's long-term stability as the Steelers' quarterback.
• Tomlin's list of injuries was limited to the three we knew about from Sunday's game: Miles Boykin (oblique), Jaylen Warren (hamstring) and Mason Cole (foot).
The good news is all three of them have a chance to play Monday night in Indianapolis. Tomlin said Warren's hamstring injury isn't "significant," and regarding Cole, Tomlin said, "there's a decent level of confidence that he's going to come through the other side of it and be available to us at the end of the week."
Cole was spotted in a walking boot during Monday's locker room availability. However, this wouldn't be the first time Cole had worn a walking boot during the week, practiced near the end of the week then played the following game.
• In searching for reasons as to why the Steelers went away from the run in the early stages of the second half, I asked Tomlin if Warren's injury affected Najee Harris' workload over the course of the game, particularly in the second half.
"It affected our intentions, but Benny Snell steps up and Naj absorbs more snaps, that's football," Tomlin answered. "The attrition component of play is a significant component of play. We tend to focus our energies on those available to us and don't waste a lot of time lamenting the people that we don't have. We have that mindset when we're planning during the course of work week like this, or we have that same mentality when things transpire in game."
Snell did not have a carry in the game.
The thought process behind the question revolves around the Steelers' intentions of not overworking Harris. That's why Warren has become such a valuable asset to this offense. It's given the team a chance to spell Harris without risking a nosedive in production.
With Warren out, I wanted to eliminate the possibility that Harris' snaps were limited due to any limitation in his workload. From what Tomlin answered, that's not the reason.
Don't think I won't ask Canada about it Thursday.
• The Colts' hiring of Jeff Saturday as interim head coach has sparked quite a controversy throughout the football world. Many have spoken out against given such a prestigious job to someone that has no coaching experience at the professional or college level, including former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher.
Tomlin was asked for his opinion on Saturday's hiring.
"My opinion doesn't matter. I'm not a part of that organization. I'm not a part of the decision-making process," Tomlin said. "I know Jeff, I like Jeff. I think he's a dynamic personality and football lover and charismatic leader. But I have no opinion worth mentioning regarding their hiring practices, or that selection in particular. It’s irrelevant to me. I'm focused on the preparation of this group relative to us stepping in that stadium against that group on Monday night."
• Each team offers up one nominee for the annual Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award, and Alex Highsmith is representing the Steelers in 2022.
For those of you who may not know, the award is annually given to "an NFL player who best demonstrates the qualities of on-field sportsmanship, including fair play, respect for the game and opponents, and integrity in competition."
Highsmith has stepped up in a big way this season as T.J. Watt has missed seven of the Steelers' three games, and he enters Week 12 tied for fifth in the league with nine sacks. Highsmith also never refuses a reporter for questions and has continued to emerge as one of the core members of the defense.
In my own opinion, it's difficult to imagine another player on this team for this award. He's a really good guy who puts his head down and works really hard, regardless of circumstance.
