The Pittsburgh Steelers sit at 5-8 entering Week 15 of the 2022 regular season. It has been quite the adventure this year for head coach, Mike Tomlin's bunch. Injuries have piled up at times, inconsistency has been at the forefront of their struggles and the playoff hopes are pretty much nonexistent. One of the major concerns offensively since Week 1 has been the production in the red zone. The touchdown percentage inside the 20-yard line is 25th in the NFL and less than 50%. On top of that, the team's quarterbacks are dead last with only nine total touchdown passes since the season began.
MIAMI GARDENS, FL - OCTOBER 23: Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) make a throw on the run during the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, October 23, 2022 at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL. He cleared concussion protocol which allowed him to make the start. | Peter Joneleit / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Amidst Latest 2022 Struggles, Could This Be Steelers WR Diontae Johnson’s Last Season In Pittsburgh?
The wide receiver at the top of the depth chart, Diontae Johnson, is having his worst season since he was drafted by Pittsburgh back in 2019. He has just 67 receptions on 113 targets and 647 yards receiving. Those numbers aren't the most concerning, however. He has not found the end zone once in 2022. Part of it is due to the offense's troubles in the red zone, but your top pass catcher should not be touchdown-less halfway through December.
In his first three seasons, Johnson had 20 receiving touchdowns including a career-high, eight in 2021. He is dealing with quarterbacks not named Ben Roethlisberger for the first time, but that is no excuse. His lack of availability close to the goal line has been a huge problem for the entire season. He acknowledged on Thursday that he is doing what he can to score and that it's new territory for him.
"I'm trying. I'm trying to get in. This is the longest I've ever been without scoring," Johnson said.
Steelers Diontae Johnson (#18) warms up before a 2022 regular season game at Acrisure Stadium versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Pittsburgh, PA. | Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
He went on to say that it is on his mind, which is one of the worst things that an athlete can do. A huge component of being a professional athlete is having the mental wherewithal to push through the struggles and difficult stretches on the field. He admitted that he has thought about it.
"I'm thinking about it, but at the same time, I don't."
Which one is it? Johnson coming out and saying he thinks about it is the more likely situation. It's almost impossible to not recognize that you haven't scored, but could he be putting too much pressure on himself when the Steelers get close to the goal line?
He quickly changed course and talked about his desire to be victorious as well as continuing to do everything he can to help the team win and be there for his teammates:
"I'm just trying to win games and just do anything to help the team out at this point. At the end of the day, that's what it's all about. It's a team game. So I'm just going to continue to be a team player and help everybody else around me."
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation.com (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
After having a Pro Bowl season a year ago, Johnson has taken a huge step backwards after signing a contract extension in the off-season. It will be crucial for him and rookie quarterback, Kenny Pickett to get on the same page throughout the final month of the 2022 campaign in order to build momentum into 2023.
Do you think it's a bad thing that Johnson is thinking about his lack of touchdowns this year? Let us know in the comments below!
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