The Baltimore Ravens and Diontae Johnson have mutually agreed to excuse the wide receiver from team activities this week, the franchise announced Monday.
This comes after Johnson was suspended for the team’s Week 15 win over the New York Giants for refusing to take the field in the Ravens’ Week 13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Baltimore had its bye week in Week 14.
Statement from the Baltimore Ravens. pic.twitter.com/sg9seXfJMc
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) December 16, 2024
“All I’m really thinking about right now is Pittsburgh and getting our team ready for Pittsburgh,” coach John Harbaugh said Monday. “He won’t be here this week and next week will take care of itself.”
The Ravens host the Steelers in a pivotal AFC North showdown on Saturday. Baltimore (9-5) is one game back of Pittsburgh (10-4) for the division lead.
When asked why Johnson wasn’t released, Harbaugh was a bit vague.
“There are reasons for doing things, front office type reasons,” Harbaugh said. “I want to think about Pittsburgh and the guys who are going to be here getting ready to play Pittsburgh. That’s my focus 100 percent.”
Johnson was acquired along with a 2025 sixth-round pick from the Carolina Panthers in exchange for a 2025 fifth-rounder at the trade deadline, putting Johnson on his third team since March. Through the first four weeks with Baltimore, Johnson has played just 39 offensive snaps, catching one pass on five targets for 6 yards. Before his acquisition by the Ravens, Johnson had 30 receptions for 357 yards and three touchdowns with the Panthers while posting the third-lowest yards per target (6.2) of his career.
Prior to his stint with the Panthers, Johnson spent five seasons with the Steelers. He posted a career-high 107 receptions in his Pro Bowl season of 2021. The 28-year-old wideout is set to be a free agent at the end of the season.
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(Photo: Greg Fiume / Getty Images)
