The Pittsburgh Steelers just recently re-signed star wide receiver, Diontae Johnson to a new three-year deal worth up to $39.5 million. After getting the contract signed, sealed, and delivered, the Steelers Pro Bowl receiver ended his "hold-in" and returned to practice as a full participant last week. Johnson loves the city of Pittsburgh and is happy with his decision to stay with the Steelers at least for the foreseeable future. However, there are some in Pittsburgh that are not too happy with Johnson at the moment.
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“I felt like I took the right deal,” Johnson said to 93.7 The Fan Pittsburgh. “I’m not worried about what everyone else is making. The market is up there, but God has something for me at the end of the day. This is the right deal for me. I prayed about it. I’m good.”
“It was the offer they gave me and stuck with. I was able to get a little more, but I’m cool with it. I’m happy and ready to play,” Johnson stated.
Johnson is obviously happy to remain the Steelers WR1 at least for the next three years, but he may have some issues with a particular company that organized his football camp that was slated to take place several months ago on May 22 at Cupples Stadium on the South Side. Johnson was just a "no show" at his own youth camp and the company is now suing him for it.
City League coaches don’t know if there will be a football season at Cupples Stadium this fall. Credit: Tribune-Review
FlexWork Sports Management LLC is suing Johnson for “significant damages, in the form of refunds, credits, and reputational damage," according to a filing in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
"The camp was supposed to take place on May 22 at Cupples Stadium on the South Side, with the $125 admission fee to include a 'team photo' with Johnson, in addition to a camp t-shirt and 'take home items from event sponsors,'" Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported. Johnson's legal representatives have claimed that weather-related flight cancellations as the reasoning for the Steelers receiver not showing up back in May.
FlexWork has claimed in the lawsuit that they had to pay over $36,000 in refunds to the camp participants and their families for registration fees. The company is also claiming that Johnson agreed to a personal service agreement that would force him to pay a cancellation fee of $2,250 in addition to other expense charges for the camp if he cancelled prior to the set date of April 5th.
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The parents of certain campers were not happy when Johnson was a "no show" to the camp that they were very much looking forward to for their children.
“It was just very sketchy,” stated Brandon Murphy, a coach for Franklin Regional’s youth football program via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “My son, luckily, was happy-go-lucky. He didn't really care. The other kids he was with were devastated.”
Another parent had some harsh words for Johnson after he left fans, campers, and families utterly disappointed.
“Just unclassy to me,” Steelers fan Jessica Ritchie told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
It sounds like a lot of fans were extremely disappointed due to Johnson's absence. I do want to point out that the Steelers organization had no ties with Johnson's youth camp. We'll keep yinz updated on the situation as it unfolds. Stay tuned...
What are yinz thoughts on Johnson being sued for being a "no show" at his own youth camp? Sound off in the comment section below, or on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram!
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