Diontae Johnson Already Improving from Injury

PITTSBURGH — Diontae Johnson wants to play. But his hamstring injury won’t allow him to do that. The Steelers top receiver suffered a hamstring injury against the 49ers serious enough that Mike Tomlin already ruled him out for the Monday night game against the Cleveland Browns. But Johnson hopes to return sooner than later.

After the Steelers got imaging done on his hamstring Tuesday, they will take some time to decide if Johnson should go on injured reserve. As of Thursday, Johnson still does not know of a decision that was made regarding that status. But if it happens, he will have to miss four games, putting him out through the bye week.

“I’m feeling good,” Johnson said. “It’s just a little setback. Stuff happens, and it’s out of my control. All I can do is keep below my head and try to get back to my teammates. They ain’t make no decision yet. But I’m just taking it one day at a time trying to get back healthy.”

Following the injury, Diontae Johnson could not walk. After a few days of rehab, Johnson earned his strength back into that hamstring and can walk comfortably, the first step in his journey back to the field. The injury happened when Johnson put his right foot into the ground, but as soon as he did that, he collapsed to the ground after his hamstring gave out on him.

Johnson now looks forward to his daily rehab and will remain around the team for the entire duration he is out. He wants to help lead the team, if nothing else. The injuries remain a concern with the Steelers offense, but Johnson classified himself as day-to-day despite not having an accurate timeline for his injury.

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“I don’t really know how long I’ll be out,” Johnson said. “It’s just day-to-day right now. I probably missed some time with an injury like this in college but other than that, I’ve been on top of my body since I got in the league.”

Calvin Austin III will need to step up in the receiver room in his absence. The Steelers top receiver is sticking around the team, attacking rehab, and attending everything from meetings to practices to help the receivers while he is out. That is notable from Johnson, who sees his role as a veteran as a key leader.

“I didn’t get to do what I wanted out there. It’s frustrating, but at the same time, my teammates keep me up, my little son keeps me up. I can’t be in a bad mood. I have to keep being a leader for my group,” Johnson said.

Now, the Steelers will try to piece together the puzzle without him. But that will not be easy, as Johnson is one of the best pure separators in the NFL. Without Johnson, the team’s passing offense has to hit the reset button and find a new way to get going.