The Carolina Panthers had high hopes for Diontae Johnson after securing the wide receiver's services via trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers last year. Things started well enough, but it didn't take long for the high-profile move to unravel.
Charlotte was the first stop on Johnson's whirlwind tour, where he became the poster child for botching a contract year. He became a toxic presence in the Panthers' locker room and was traded to the Baltimore Ravens for almost nothing before the 2024 deadline. This was a chance for the former third-round pick to help a contending team with NFL MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson leading the charge.
That didn't last long either. Johnson was waived after five games and one catch for six receiving yards. This all stemmed from refusing to come into a game in Week 13 versus the Philadelphia Eagles.
Diontae Johnson confirmed Carolina Panthers fans' suspicions about a selfish approach
Johnson, who's now looking to carve out a role for himself with the Cleveland Browns, lifted the lid on why he didn't want to enter the contest. The Toledo product stated that he was too cold and he didn't want to put out any bad film. Something that made the Ravens' decision to cut him loose pretty simple.
"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. After that, they said I was a distraction and they released me."Diontae Johnson via USA Today
This confirmed what Panthers fans knew all along. Mike Tomlin also knew it towards the end of Johnson's tenure in Pittsburgh.
The juice was no longer worth the squeeze.
He went from a team-first guy to just looking after his own interests. It's a bad attitude that's done the player no favors. It's also cost him millions of dollars along the way.
This lack of commitment is why Dan Morgan cut his losses ahead of time. The Ravens didn't need the distraction, and Johnson couldn't turn things around during his brief stint with the Houston Texans.
The Panthers were better off without Johnson. It was a head-scratching move at the time, especially with the compensation Morgan had to accept, but things are crystal clear now.
Johnson doesn't like the cold. But with the league turning away from the wideout this offseason, he was forced to accept the only offer that came along.
Cleveland. Not exactly renowned for its tropical climate and prosperous playing conditions.
Let's see how things work out this time.