The Houston Texans have made the decision to waive wide receiver Diontae Johnson as they gear up for their divisional-round playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs. This move comes after Johnson's short stint with the Texans, where he played only two games following his acquisition off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens on December 23.
Johnson's journey this season has been tumultuous. Initially, the Carolina Panthers traded him to the Baltimore Ravens on October 29. However, his time with the Ravens was brief and contentious. Johnson was suspended for one game due to his refusal to play against the Philadelphia Eagles on December 1, a decision that led to his departure from the team. During his short tenure with Baltimore, he participated in 39 snaps and caught a single pass for six yards.
Despite his past success in Pittsburgh, where he amassed 391 receptions for 4,363 yards and 25 touchdowns since being drafted in the third round in 2019, Johnson struggled to make a significant impact with Houston. In two games with the Texans, he recorded only three catches for 24 yards. His performance fell short of expectations, especially considering his previous Pro Bowl selection in 2021 when he achieved his only 1,000-yard season.
Houston's head coach, DeMeco Ryans, acknowledged the disappointment surrounding Johnson's situation.
"Unfortunately, with Diontae it didn't work out," said coach DeMeco Ryans.
In Houston's wild-card playoff victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday, Johnson played just 15 of the team's 70 offensive snaps and was targeted once, securing a catch for 12 yards. Post-game, he was visibly upset in the locker room, despite attempts by teammates Joe Mixon and Azeez Al-Shaair to offer support.
Johnson's career began with promise after being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers. His trade to the Carolina Panthers earlier this season came after he recorded 30 catches for 257 yards and three touchdowns with them. However, his refusal to play for Baltimore and subsequent waiver by Houston have marked a challenging chapter in his professional journey.
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