The Pittsburgh Steelers made a major move during the offseason by trading wide receiver Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers. This move left many fans questioning the team’s head coach Mike Tomlin’s decision-making process.
However, it appears that Tomlin’s philosophy of “volunteers not hostages” may have played a role in Johnson’s departure. Tomlin has long been known for treating his players as volunteers rather than hostages, and this may have caused tension with some of his players, including Johnson.
With Johnson gone, the Steelers are now searching for a replacement wide receiver to fill the void left by their star player. This search is proving to be difficult, as many top-tier free agents and trade targets have already signed or been traded elsewhere.
In Carolina, Johnson has noticed a significant difference in energy between Panthers head coach Dave Canales and Tomlin. Canales brings a new energy to the team that was missing during Johnson’s time with the Steelers. Despite this change of pace, however, Johnson has not expressed any negativity towards his former coach. Instead, he seems to be enjoying the new atmosphere and approach taken by Canales.
Overall, it remains to be seen how this trade will impact both teams moving forward. However, one thing is clear: Johnson’s departure from Pittsburgh has left a hole in the Steelers roster that will need to be filled before the start of the season.
