Former Steelers Receiver Diontae Johnson Was Absolutely Hated By Lamar Jackson

Even though the Pittsburgh Steelers were not able to trade for Diontae Johnson before the 2024 trade deadline, it still hurt to watch him go to their most-hated division rivals for basically nothing. Johnson will now be a part of the Baltimore Ravens' attempt to have a more balanced offensive attack. Everyone already knows about their ability to run the football with ease, but if they can develop a more consistent passing game, the AFC will have plenty of issues with stopping them short of the end zone.

During a recent press conference, quarterback Lamar Jackson detailed his thoughts about his new receiver now and when he was in Pittsburgh.

"I had seen [Diontae Johnson] in Pittsburgh. I couldn't stand him when he was in Pittsburgh, but his game is great. Like I said before, [he] has great separation, [he's] a great route runner, [and] he's a home run hitter."

It's hard to like a player that can and will shred your defense without a problem. When Johnson was at his best, he was borderline uncoverable. His expert route-running abilities allowed him to create separation at will and dominate opposing secondaries, especially when they were playing in man coverage against him. 

Johnson has had some moments against the Ravens as well. In nine games against them, he averaged five receptions for 55 yards per game. In his most recent game, he burnt them for four receptions, 89 yards and a touchdown. They were so focused on locking down George Pickens that they allowed Johnson to have his way and make splash plays.

His best performance came in December of 2021. He had eight receptions for 105 yards and two touchdowns as the Steelers escaped with a narrow 20-19 victory. Johnson got both of his scores in the fourth quarter to secure the win and proved that he can be a clutch player when he needs to be. It makes it pretty easy to be hated by your rivals when you have performances like that.

The Ravens needed Johnson as well. After Rashod Bateman had a pair of key drops in Baltimore's recent loss to the Cleveland Browns, it became obvious that they needed another reliable starting receiver. While Johnson has had issues with drops in the past, he seems to have cleaned that issue up, and the Ravens desperately hope so. 

Steelers-Ravens Games Should Be Intense With Familiarity On Both Sides

Over the last couple of years, many players from both the Steelers and the Ravens have switched sides. Most notably, Patrick Queen signed with the Steelers to become the quarterback of their defense after being a first-round selection for Baltimore. They also signed DeShon Elliott to let him make plays up front and allow Minkah Fitzpatrick to patrol centerfield.

Meanwhile, the Ravens brought in Arthur Maulet after he burned the bridge to Pittsburgh. He has been a solid addition to their secondary, especially as a blitzer and run defender from the slot. Adding Johnson only fuels the fire, as their games will mean a lot more than just a win and potential division supremacy. There are bragging rights on the line about who picked right and who picked wrong.

Joey Porter Jr. has repeatedly talked about how intense those battles will be. He will likely have to face Johnson a lot during both of their upcoming matchups. Even though Johnson is a man-beater, Porter has excelled in press man coverage. With their skills perfectly mirroring each other, it will be a battle to keep an eye on, especially if the Ravens are able to re-sign him.

What do you think about Jackson praising his new receiver after hating how well he played, especially against the Ravens? How will he do against the Steelers now? Let us know in the comments.

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