Diontae Johnson Reveals Why He Refused to Enter Ravens Game Last Year
Former Ravens wide receiver Diontae Johnson broke his silence regarding his refusal to enter last season's Week 13 game against the Philadelphia Eagles that led to his release less than two months after Baltimore traded for him.
"It was cold," Johnson, a Florida native, said on the “Sports & Suits” podcast. "So, I'm on the sideline, just standing there, just going to the heater, back and forth, just waiting to hear my name called. So, end of third [quarter], going into the fourth over there, they're like, 'Tae, we need you.' I'm like, 'Nah.' To me, I'm thinking, 'I don't think it's a good idea for me,' because I was thinking about, like, my legs. I don't want to go out there and put bad stuff on film.
"And it's not like I didn't want to go in the game. But you've got to think, like, leading up to this point, I'd been through so much. ... I'd checked out mentally. I was like, 'Whatever happens, happens.' I was just rolling with the punches at that time. So, I told them I wasn't going in. I was like, 'I understand what you're saying, but I'm not going to go in.' So, I just sat on the bench, and that's when they suspended me."
The game was played at M&T Bank Stadium on Dec. 1, and the temperature at the 4:25 p.m. kickoff was 41 degrees.
The Ravens had asked Johnson to go into the game after wide receiver Rashod Bateman exited with an injury. The Ravens suspended Johnson for one game due to conduct detrimental to the team and waived him a week later.
"I already knew if I went back, I was going to be in the doghouse even more," Johnson said. "So, I just asked to get released, and I got picked up by Houston."
Johnson played in one game for the Texans, catching two passes for 12 yards in their regular-season finale, and was waived again shortly thereafter.
The Ravens had acquired the 28-year-old Johnson at the trade deadline, sending a fifth-round pick to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for the pass-catcher and a sixth-round pick. Carolina also reportedly agreed to take on some of Johnson's contract.
Johnson played 39 snaps in four games with the Ravens and caught one pass for six yards. He had 30 catches for 357 yards and three touchdowns in seven games with the Panthers. Johnson spent his first five seasons with Pittsburgh, where he caught 391 passes for 4,363 yards and 25 touchdowns.
"That was a tough situation for me," Johnson said of his short stint with the Ravens. "I love the players and stuff. I love the organization. But it just wasn't for me."
Perhaps Cleveland, which also tends to get cold in December, will be for Johnson, who signed a one-year deal with the Browns this offseason for the reported veteran minimum of $1.17 million.
Pundit Says Ravens' Trend of Signing Third-Contract Players Is Smart Strategy
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer added context to the Ravens' signing of two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander, noting that it continued the organization's trend of adding players on their third contract.
Breer said "it's a smart strategy" that the Ravens have leaned into "to great effect."
"When we talk about free agency, it's about guys who are 25, 26, 27 years old that are going to get the massive second contracts," Breer said. "Oftentimes, those contracts don't end up looking very good two or three years down the road. It is very much a seller's market.
"So, how do you make the most out of that market? The Patriots during the back end of their dynasty and now the Ravens over the last 10 years or so have taken advantage of it by leaning in on signing third-contract veterans."
Breer noted the veterans the Ravens have signed over the years including running backs Derrick Henry and Mark Ingram II, outside linebackers Kyle Van Noy and Jadeveon Clowney, safety Eric Weddle, defensive lineman Calais Campbell, and guard Kevin Zeitler.
"Number one, you know what you're getting," Breer said. "Most of these guys have already gotten paid; their financial futures are secure. So, you have that certainty of how he's going to handle money. You also have an idea of who he is as a player. There's a longer track record there than there is with a guy who's only in his fourth year. And then there's a leadership component with it. In a lot of cases, you don't make it that long in the NFL without being put in some position of leadership."
Analyst Says Ravens' Offseason Moves Will Result in Super Bowl Appearance
NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks is the latest pundit to declare the Ravens one of the offseason's biggest winners. Brooks said the addition of Alexander "put the finishing touches on the best roster in football."
"The two-time All-Pro will team with Kyle Hamilton, Marlon Humphrey, Nate Wiggins and first-round pick Malaki Starks to form a dynamic defensive backfield that can suffocate opponents with sticky coverage," Brooks wrote. "The defensive upgrades should enable the Ravens to stymie opposing offenses that are forced into shootouts by Lamar Jackson and Co. With DeAndre Hopkins joining a group of pass catchers that already features dangerous playmakers like Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Isaiah Likely, the Ravens are one of the favorites to represent the AFC in Super Bowl LX."
Brooks believes the Ravens will get over the hump this season.
"This is the year Jackson finally gets the monkey off his back and guides the Ravens to the Super Bowl," Brooks wrote. "The confetti might not fall on No. 8's shoulders, but the 'Bullies of Baltimore' will finish the season in Santa Clara, California, competing for the Lombardi Trophy."
Odafe Oweh's Reaction to Alexander Signing: 'More Sacks'
During Odafe Oweh's appearance on "The SiriusXM Blitz," the outside linebacker was asked what his initial reaction was to the Ravens signing Alexander.
"More sacks, more sacks. That's all I said," Oweh said. "So, I am excited to see what he can do. … If they get interceptions, we get sacks, we'll be the best defense.
Oweh, who had a career-high 10 sacks last season, also talked about what the Ravens need to do to avoid coming up short in the postseason.
"Just take care of the football and cause turnovers," Oweh said. "Our last game, we lost the turnover battle, 3-0. If we can just continue to be the type of defense that we are in the regular season and realize that we are enough, each individual player that we have is enough, if we just play to our capabilities, play your one-elevens, we're going to win. I feel like if we do that, we're hoisting the Lombardi."
John Harbaugh Ranked Among Top Five Head Coaches
In addition to having arguably the NFL's most talented roster, the Ravens also have one of the best head coaches in John Harbaugh.
Pro Football Focus put Harbaugh at No. 4 in its head coach rankings entering this season.
"Harbaugh perpetually has Baltimore contending for championships," PFF’s Dalton Wasserman wrote. "The Ravens have endured only two losing seasons since he took over in 2008. Baltimore's consistency is incredibly impressive, considering the team hasn't lost a game by more than one score since Week 18 of 2022, a contest in which their starters didn't even play.
"At the center of Harbaugh's success is Lamar Jackson's development. Coming off an injury-plagued 2022 season in which he earned just a 72.3 PFF passing grade, Jackson and his team were at a crossroads. Since Todd Monken was brought in to be the Ravens' offensive coordinator in 2023, Jackson has become an unstoppable force, leading the NFL with a 95.1 PFF overall grade. As long as Harbaugh and Jackson are in the building, the Ravens will be AFC contenders."
The Kansas City Chiefs' Andy Reid took the No. 1 spot in the rankings, followed by the Denver Broncos' Sean Payton and Los Angeles Rams' Sean McVay. The Pittsburgh Steelers' Mike Tomlin rounded out the top five. The Los Angeles Chargers' Jim Harbaugh was two spots behind his brother at No. 6.
