Steelers’ Diontae Johnson seeks greater chemistry with Big Ben, to ‘make him look good’
He leads the Pittsburgh Steelers in receptions and receiving yards. He is third in the NFL in targeted throws. But that’s not good enough for Diontae Johnson, who sought more chemistry with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger during practice this week.
After Roethlisberger approached him Wednesday morning to request crisp practices between the two the following two days, Johnson took heed during the sessions Thursday and Friday at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.
“We are trying to get that timing down, so mostly every play the ball was coming my way,” Johnson said during a video call with media Friday. “So I had to make sure I was getting out of my breaks as fast as I could so the ball would be there on time … making sure I am in the right spot, making sure I am just getting open for him and making him look good. That’s what I was trying to do these past two days.”
In his second season after being a third-round pick out of Toledo, Johnson has 14 catches for 149 yards and a touchdown over the first two games of 2020. The only wide receiver in the NFL who has been thrown more passes (23) is Arizona Cardinals superstar DeAndre Hopkins (25).
But Johnson’s 60.9 catch percentage on targeted throws is the worst among any of the Steelers’ four wide receivers. He had a drop in each game, and he muffed a punt during the opening win at the New York Giants.
As a rookie, Johnson led the Steelers in receptions (59) and receiving touchdowns (five). He did it with Roethlisberger as his quarterback for only seven official targeted passes until Roethlisberger’s season-ending elbow surgery. Three were caught, and they netted 25 yards.
Then, this past offseason was condensed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Not having a full year with Ben, you, obviously, have got build that trust with the quarterback,” Johnson said, “making sure you’re in the right spots at all times so that you build that trust and have that connection with one another.
“We had a talk about that. He knows what I’ve got to do, and I know what I’ve got to do so I have to keep playing and make plays and being in the right spot so he’ll have trust I’m going to be there.”
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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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