Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, Diontae Johnson has not been shy about venting his frustrations regarding the 2023 season. The offense has consistently underperformed and Johnson seems to feel he has not been utilized adequately. After the devastating loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 11, things apparently came full circle. Johnson got into an altercation with safety, Minkah Fitzpatrick in the locker room following the game per a report by ESPN.
Associated Press
Steelers Diontae Johnson has been quite vocal about his frustrations.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, league sources told him that Johnson and Fitzpatrick were tearing into each other in and had to be separated by Cameron Heyward and TJ Watt. Heyward and Watt told the entire team that they have to have each other's backs. The team has to work together to turn the rest of the season around.
The fight between the two apparently began as the players were headed into the locker room. A source told ESPN that Johnson, was "chirping" at the Steelers' coaches all the way and that Fitzpatrick had enough and began arguing with Johnson. Another source said the disagreement between the two became quite "heated" prior to being broken up by the two defensive stars.
"Diontae Johnson's on-field frustration Sunday in Cleveland continued after the game in the Pittsburgh Steelers' locker room, where he got into a heated argument with teammate Minkah Fitzpatrick before Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt broke up the altercation and delivered a message that the team needed to stick together, league sources told ESPN."
It isn't surprising that Johnson, the Steelers' second-leading receiver, continued to escalate. He has been voicing his frustration in a variety of ways for the majority of the season. He was seen earlier in the game having a very spirited talk with Head Coach, Mike Tomlin on the sideline. He also appeared to be visibly upset as he paced near the bench during the game.
USA Today
Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin talks with wide receiver Diontae Johnson.
Once separated, Watt and Heyward, calmed their teammates down and then they spoke to the whole team along with Tomlin. According to the sources, the fight was confined to that moment, was squashed, and is not carrying over into game prep for the Week 12 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Steelers' Diontae Johnson's Fight With Minkah Fitzpatrick Might Have Been The Proverbial Final Straw
Johnson had just two catches against the Browns. and was the embodiment of the aggravation everyone has felt about the lackluster offense. It obviously became clear after the loss to the Browns' backup quarterback that the Steelers had to make some kind of a change. That change came in the form of the firing of Offensive Coordinator, Matt Canada. According to Schefter, the fight might have been the last straw and helped contribute to Tomlin's decision to let Canada go.
The firing of a coordinator is not something that is a common occurrence in the Steel City. The last time the Steelers fired a head coach or coordinator in the middle of a season was in 1941, when the team's once-owner, Bert Bell, fired himself from the head coach position.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' new Offensive Coordinator Eddie Faulkner and play-caller Mike Sullivan talk on the sideline during Week 11 in 2023.
The offensive play calling will now come from quarterbacks coach, Mike Sullivan while running backs coach, Eddie Faulkner will be the offensive coordinator; at least for the remainder of 2023. Fans are hoping the change sparks some improvement. The Steelers have not passed 400 yards of offense in the 45 games that Canada coached. During that stretch of games, the other 31 teams hit that 400-yard mark at least four times each.
What do you think about the fight between Johnson and Fitzpatrick? Are you surprised? Do you think Canada is a cause or a symptom of what is going wrong in Pittsburgh? What are you expecting with the coaching changes? Click to comment below.
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