The Steelers signed Pro Bowl receiver Diontae Johnson to a new three-year contract on Thursday. The team did not release details of the contract.
"I felt it in my gut it was the right move for me and my family," said Johnson. "I am just glad to get back to work. I love being a Steeler. I love it here. Just being around my teammates, the atmosphere, the energy they show every day. I feel like I made the right choice to continue to be here for a long time."
Johnson has played in 47 games in his three seasons, with 39 starts. He has 254 career receptions for 2,764 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also has 12 rushes for 109 yards. His 254 receptions (first), 2,764 yards (fourth) and 20 touchdowns (fourth) each rank in the top five among all receivers selected in the 2019 NFL Draft.
"Diontae is not a big talker. He's more of a doer and I can appreciate that," said Coach Mike Tomlin during the team's June minicamp. "I'm aligned with that. Just putting his head down and working every day. He's going to provide quality examples of how to go to work and it's going to aid guys like (George) Pickens in the maturation process because he has visual examples of what he needs to do and how he needs to do it."
Johnson is coming off a 2021 season where he set career-highs in receptions (107), yards (1,161) and touchdown receptions (8). He was the Steelers leading receiver and had three 100-yard games in 2021 and was named to the 2022 Pro Bowl, the first time he earned that postseason honor.
In 2020 Johnson played in 15 games, starting 13. He finished the season with 88 receptions for 923 yards and seven touchdowns, adding three carries for 15 yards. Johnson had his best game of the season against Cincinnati in Week 10, when he caught six passes for 116 yards and a touchdown, his first 100-yard receiving game. He followed that up with a career-high 12 receptions for 111 yards one week later against Jacksonville.
Johnson was drafted by the Steelers in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, the 66th player overall. He played in 16 games his rookie season, starting 12. He finished the year with 59 receptions for 689 yards and five touchdowns. His 59 receptions ranked second in Steelers history among rookies and also led all rookies in 2019. He also added four rushes for 41 yards.
Johnson was also a special teams standout, returning 20 punts for 248 yards, including an 85-yard touchdown return, the longest punt return in team history. He led the NFL in punt-return average in 2019 with a 12.4-yard average.
Johnson was the first rookie in Steelers history to return a punt for a touchdown since Santonio Holmes did so in in 2006. He was also the fourth player, and second rookie, in team history with a punt return and a touchdown reception in the same game.
SINGLE-GAME HIGHS: RUSHING/RECEIVING
Rush Attempts:
2 vs. Chicago Bears, Nov 08, 2021
1 vs. Tennessee Titans, Dec 19, 2021
1 at Minnesota Vikings, Dec 09, 2021
...8 more at 1.
Rushing Yards:
25 vs. Seattle Seahawks, Oct 17, 2021
17 vs. Cleveland Browns, Dec 01, 2019
16 at Arizona Cardinals, Dec 08, 2019
11 vs. Chicago Bears, Nov 08, 2021
10 vs. Tennessee Titans, Dec 19, 2021
Longest Runs:
25 vs. Seattle Seahawks, Oct 17, 2021
17 vs. Cleveland Browns, Dec 01, 2019
16 at Arizona Cardinals, Dec 08, 2019
11 vs. Chicago Bears, Nov 08, 2021
10 vs. Tennessee Titans, Dec 19, 2021
Receptions:
12 at Jacksonville Jaguars, Nov 22, 2020
9 at Cincinnati Bengals, Nov 28, 2021
9 vs. Seattle Seahawks, Oct 17, 2021
...3 more at 9.
Receiving Yards:
116 vs. Cincinnati Bengals, Nov 15, 2020
111 at Jacksonville Jaguars, Nov 22, 2020
105 vs. Baltimore Ravens, Dec 05, 2021
105 vs. Las Vegas Raiders, Sep 19, 2021
101 at Los Angeles Chargers, Nov 21, 2021
Receiving Average:
32.0 at Cleveland Browns, Jan 03, 2021
19.3 vs. Cincinnati Bengals, Nov 15, 2020
17.3 at San Francisco 49ers, Sep 22, 2019
16.8 vs. Miami Dolphins, Oct 28, 2019
16.3 at Cleveland Browns, Oct 31, 2021
Longest Receptions:
50 at Cleveland Browns, Oct 31, 2021
50t vs. Denver Broncos, Oct 10, 2021
47 at Cleveland Browns, Jan 03, 2021
46 vs. Cincinnati Bengals, Nov 15, 2020
45t at Green Bay Packers, Oct 03, 2021
...1 more at 45.
Receiving TDs:
2 vs. Baltimore Ravens, Dec 05, 2021
2 at Tennessee Titans, Oct 25, 2020
1 vs. Cleveland Browns, Jan 03, 2022
...15 more at 1.
All-Purpose Yards:
162 at Arizona Cardinals, Dec 08, 2019
141 vs. Denver Broncos, Sep 20, 2020
121 at New York Jets, Dec 22, 2019
116 vs. Cincinnati Bengals, Nov 15, 2020
111 at Jacksonville Jaguars, Nov 22, 2020
Kickoff Returns:
1 vs. Denver Broncos, Sep 20, 2020
Kickoff Return Yards:
24 vs. Denver Broncos, Sep 20, 2020
Longest Kickoff Return:
24 vs. Denver Broncos, Sep 20, 2020
Punt Return Yards:
86 at Arizona Cardinals, Dec 08, 2019
40 at New York Jets, Dec 22, 2019
25 vs. Denver Broncos, Sep 20, 2020
24 at Baltimore Ravens, Dec 29, 2019
22 vs. Los Angeles Rams, Nov 10, 2019
Longest Punt Return:
85t at Arizona Cardinals, Dec 08, 2019
18 vs. Denver Broncos, Sep 20, 2020
17 at New York Jets, Dec 22, 2019
14 vs. Los Angeles Rams, Nov 10, 2019
13 at Baltimore Ravens, Dec 29, 2019
...2 more at 13
Punt Returns:
4 at Cincinnati Bengals, Nov 24, 2019
3 at New York Giants, Sep 14, 2020
3 at New York Jets, Dec 22, 2019
...1 more at 3.
Punt Return TDs:
1 at Arizona Cardinals, Dec 08, 2019
Punt Return Average:
13.3 at New York Jets, Dec 22, 2019
7.3 vs. Los Angeles Rams, Nov 10, 2019
5.3 at Cincinnati Bengals, Nov 24, 2019
4.3 at New York Giants, Sep 14, 2020
Most TDs:
2 vs. Baltimore Ravens, Dec 05, 2021
2 at Tennessee Titans, Oct 25, 2020
...1 more at 2.
