Pittsburgh Steelers Wide Receiver Diontae Johnson Publicly Admits That He Refused to Enter the Game Against the Baltimore Ravens Because He Felt That the Weather Conditions Were Too Cold for Him to Play, Sparking Controversy Among Fans and Media About His Commitment and Professionalism During the Crucial Matchup.


Diontae Johnson is not a fan of the cold weather.

In a recent interview with Sports & Suits podcast, the former Baltimore Ravens wide receiver and current Cleveland Browns wide receiver confessed that he refused to enter a game for the Ravens last season because it was too cold.

“End of the third going into the fourth, they were like, ‘Tae, we need you,’” Johnson said. “I was like, ‘Nah, I don’t think it’s a good idea for me.’ Like, my legs are already ice cold and I didn’t wanna go out there and put bad stuff on film.

According to the National Weather Service, the Baltimore area experienced a high of 44 degrees and a low of 21 degrees on Dec. 1, 2024, the date of the game in question: a Ravens Week 13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Johnson went on to say that his business decision was the reason the Ravens, who had acquired him at the trade deadline from the Carolina Panthers earlier in the season, suspended him for one game. Baltimore waived him a week after he served his suspension, and the Houston Texans claimed him a few days later.

The former Raven didn’t stick in Houston long. He also told Sports & Suits that the Texans prioritized their younger guys for playing time after he joined the team. Before long, Johnson said he “checked out mentally.”

“After that, they said I was a distraction and they released me,” the veteran said.

Houston waived Johnson after Week 18, and the Ravens re-claimed the wideout. But he was ineligible to play the remainder of the postseason and became a free agent after Baltimore lost their divisional round playoff game.

Johnson finished the 2024 season with 33 catches for 375 yards and three touchdowns across stints with three different teams.

In April, Johnson signed a one-year, $1.17 million deal with the Browns.