New Cleveland Browns receiver Diontae Johnson addressed his past issues with the Baltimore Ravens, which have raised some concerns about his future.
Johnson is coming off a turbulent season, during which he played for three different teams. After being traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Carolina Panthers in the offseason, he appeared in seven games for Carolina before being dealt to the Ravens.
His time in Baltimore ended abruptly after he refused to enter a game, resulting in his release. Johnson was later claimed by the Houston Texans but caught just two passes.
The situation with the Ravens was the most polarizing for Johnson. He attempted to explain it during a spot on the Sports & Suits podcast, saying he was cold.
“Baltimore was a tough situation for me. I love the organization but it just wasn’t for me. I checked out mentally. I wasn’t being used,” Johnson said. “I wasn’t getting into no run plays, no passing plays or nothing. It was cold. 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. My legs are already ice cold, and I didn’t wanna go out there and put bad stuff on film. It’s not like I didn’t wanna go into the game, but leading up to this point, I had been through so much.”
Johnson was handed a one-game suspension for the incident, and the Ravens waived him shortly after.
“They said I was a distraction and they released me,” Johnson said.
Concerns Grow About Diontae Johnson’s Fit in Cleveland
Johnson signed a one-year deal with the Browns this offseason for the veteran’s minimum. The contract has no guaranteed money attached. Johnson’s recent comments about the “cold” have created some questions about his fit in Cleveland, where the weather is notoriously nasty.
“Diontae Johnson just admitted he refused to enter a game in 41 degree weather last year in Baltimore because he felt ice cold,” analyst Warren Sharp said on X. “It’s a good thing he’s playing this year in <checks notes> CLEVELAND.”
Others also weighed in on Johnson’s recent comments.
“Hey Diontae, you think Baltimore’s cold in November? Man you’re gonna LOVE playing in Cleveland in December — if you’re still on the team,” a fan said.
Another added, “Forty-one degrees isn’t cold, it’s an excuse. When a receiver won’t play in less-than-perfect conditions, that tells you everything about his commitment to winning. Weather doesn’t make champions. Character does.”
Diontae Johnson Looking to Change Narrative With Browns
Johnson, a former Pro Bowler, still carries considerable upside. He earned Pro Bowl honors in 2021 after hauling in 107 receptions for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns. Following a disappointing season, he’s motivated to rewrite the narrative in what may be his last chance to revive his career.
“I don’t want to speak on a lot of stuff,” Johnson said during minicamp about his previous drama. “Everybody’s going to have their opinions, you know what I’m saying? So at the end of the day, I’m the only one in that room that really know what’s going on. They’re entitled to their own opinion, so I can only go off of what I know and then try to go off what I put out there and my best effort. But like I said, last year is last year. I’m trying to change that narrative and move the right way and keep going.”
Jerry Jeudy enters the season as the Browns’ clear-cut No. 1 receiver following a Pro Bowl campaign, but the competition behind him remains wide open. Johnson will be battling for a key role alongside Cedric Tillman, David Bell, Jamari Thrash, and Michael Woods II in a young and largely unproven receiver room.
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