Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said yesterday that Diontae Johnson needs to answer to his teammates when they return to work today and then will be made available to explain himself to the media after he apparently quit on a play that happened right in front of him on Sunday, walking away from a fumbled ball and not making a play on the Bengals player who recovered it.
Tomlin said he would not “add any additional color” to the controversy, only saying that Johnson needs to learn not to let one bad play or call carry over into the next down. Johnson thought his apparent catch for a touchdown should have counted instead of being called an incomplete pass the down before Jaylen Warren’s fumble.
Meanwhile, the coach is turning his attention to this Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.
Tomlin thought the Steelers played well on the line of scrimmage on Sunday, and they will need to win those battles the rest of the way as they move on to “December football.”
Calling TJ Watt “the best defensive player on the planet right now,” Tomlin says the Steelers’ outside rusher continues to dominate other teams, no matter how many guys they use to try to stop him.
The Cardinals only bring a 2-10 record into the game and have lost two straight, but they have Tomlin’s eye. He is wary of the Cards’ defense, particularly their safeties, and he knows the threat posed by mobile quarterback Kyler Murray and former Steeler James Conner, who is back to full speed after missing four weeks with an ankle injury.
Tomlin says Conner is a rugged runner who will play with an edge on Sunday.
The coach said he is ‘leaving the light on” for the possible return of safety Minkah Fitzpatrick this week. The All-Pro has missed the last four games with a hamstring injury. Defensive lineman Montravious Adams may also be able to return after missing three games with an ankle injury. Quarterback Kenny Pickett and wide receiver Calvin Austin III are also dealing with ankle soreness but are expected to play.
Former Steelers Hines Ward and James Harrison have made the list of 28 NFL Hall of Fame semifinalists. The list will be trimmed to 15 finalists in January, then 10, and then five. To get into the Hall, the Final Five would need 80 percent of the vote by the panel.
