The Pittsburgh Steelers are no strangers to the headaches diva wide receivers can bring. Diontae Johnson was just the latest in a string of guys who’ve acted out because they feel they’re bigger than the team.
In the last seven years, Pittsburgh has traded four receivers for behavior concerns. If George Pickens doesn’t do some growing up this offseason, he could easily be the next mistake the Steelers attempt to correct.
1
Martavis Bryant, 2018
In his rookie 2015 season, Bryant was suspended four games for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. When he repeated the violation the following season, he was slapped with a year-long suspension. Displeased with his usage upon his return to Pittsburgh in 2017, he made a public plea to be traded. The Steelers didn’t acquiesce until 2018 when they sent Bryant to the Oakland Raiders for a third-round draft pick.
2
Antonio Brown, 2019
There aren’t enough hours in the day to rehash all of the Antonio Brown drama.
Signs of his relationship with Ben Roethlisberger beginning to sour came in 2015 after constant complaints about not getting the ball enough. In 2017, the receiver broadcast the team’s divisional round locker room celebration on Facebook Live against his quarterback’s wishes. The following season, Brown was benched for throwing a ball at Big Ben in practice.
Two years after Pittsburgh made him the highest-paid receiver in the NFL, Brown was traded to the Oakland Raiders for third and fifth-round picks.
3
Chase Claypool, 2022
Things started going downhill quickly for Chase Claypool after a phenomenal 2020 rookie campaign. His antics were far from that of Antonio Brown or Martavis Bryant, but after costing the Steelers a game-winning opportunity on “Thursday Night Football” and self-proclaiming top-three receiver status, Pittsburgh wasn’t taking any chances. The Steelers absolutely fleeced the Chicago Bears in a 2022 in-season trade for the 2023 second-round pick that became Joey Porter Jr.
4
Diontae Johnson, 2024
Diontae Johnson is proof that the Pittsburgh Steelers’ patience for entitled wide receivers was wearing thin. Multiple incidents, including a locker room scuffle with Minkah Fitzpatrick, lack of effort on several plays and body language displayed by that of a toddler on the playground, were enough. The Steelers traded Johnson and their 2024 seventh-round pick to the Carolina Panthers for cornerback Donte Jackson and a sixth-rounder.
