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Diontae Johnson Drops New Details on the Ben Roethlisberger Incident That Led to 2 Months of Silence
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- Diontae Johnson Drops New Details on the Ben Roethlisberger Incident That Led to 2 Months of Silence
Diontae Johnson has opened up about one of the strangest moments from his early days with the Pittsburgh Steelers , revealing what led Ben Roethlisberger to stop speaking to him for nearly two months. It happened during his rookie season, when he was still trying to learn the Steelers' offense and establish himself around Roethlisberger.
What started with one unfamiliar signal quickly turned into a much longer issue.
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Diontae Johnson Explains Why Ben Roethlisberger Shut Him Out
Oct 13, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (5) celebrates by throwing the ball into the crowd after scoring a thouchdown in the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Johnson said the receivers were given 10 plays during the practice, and wide receivers coach Daryl Drake warned them not to make mistakes. Roethlisberger also walked by and told Johnson to make sure he knew his assignments.
Then came a signal Johnson did not recognize.
"They gave us 10 plays. First play. Wide receivers coach Daryl Drake was like, 'You better not go out there and mess up.' Ben comes walking by. 'You better know your plays coming out there.' Routes on air. He gave me a signal that I didn't know. I look around, I drop the ball. He said, 'Go down there. Go with the rest of the group over there on the other side.' He didn't throw to me the rest of the practice. And then he didn't talk to me for like, two months."
During routes on air, Roethlisberger gave Johnson the signal. Johnson looked around because he did not know what it meant, and the play ended with him dropping the ball. Johnson said Roethlisberger immediately sent him away from the group. The quarterback then stopped throwing his way for the rest of the practice. What Johnson did not expect was that the silence would continue long after that session.
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Johnson said he was confused by wha t was happening and eventually asked Mike Tomlin about it. In his eyes, Tomlin did not give him a detailed explanation. Instead, the Steelers coach told him to focus on building a relationship with Mason Rudolph .
That left Johnson trying to figure out how to handle the situation while continuing to develop as a young receiver. The relationship eventually started to change once Johnson began making plays. He said Roethlisberger slowly started talking to him again after seeing what the rookie could do on the field.
The episode offers a different look at Johnson's early years in the Steelers. Roethlisberger had a reputation for being demanding with younger players, and Johnson's story suggests that the quarterback's approach could sometimes be blunt.
However, for Johnson, the situation was not simply about getting criticized after a mistake but was trying to understand why one missed signal had seemingly turned into weeks of silence.
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Johnson went on to spend five seasons with the Steelers and became one of Roethlisberger's most productive targets. He finished his Pittsburgh tenure with 391 receptions for 4,363 yards and 25 touchdowns.
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The post Diontae Johnson Drops New Details on the Ben Roethlisberger Incident That Led to 2 Months of Silence appeared first on Gridiron Heroics .
