Former Steelers WR Reflects On Criticism From Fanbase

The Pittsburgh Steelers' history when it comes to wide receivers is certainly one of the more interesting ones across the league, as they have certainly rostered their fair share of characters.

This phenomenon has occurred more-so in recent seasons, beginning with Antonio Brown in the mid-2010s. From there, the Steelers rostered both Diontae Johnson and George Pickens, who each had their own sets of skills and off-field moments to go along with them.

Johnson is now no longer in the NFL following a couple short stints and training camp appearances that ended poorly. He spent the vast majority of his career with the Steelers, however.

Johnson recently made an appearance on the Off The Clock podcast, where he talked about how his experience with the Steelers fans turned negative.

"No disrespect to the fan base," Johnson said. "But every week bro, like you do the littlest thing, they finna bash you, DM you. It's like, I'm not out here trying to mess up. Everybody ain't perfect. I'm sure you ain't perfect at your job."

He went on to state that the 2020 season was particularly rough on that front due to his issue with drops.

"2020 year bro, when I had all them drops, that was the toughest year. I was out there every day, like before the game, like two hours before doing my routine, they was always on my a** talking about, 'Oh you need to catch the ball, Diontae Brick Johnson.'"

Nov 26, 2023; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18) reacts to play in the first half against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kareem Elgazzar-Imagn Images | Kareem Elgazzar-Imagn Images

Johnson certainly did have a concern when it came to dropping the football, and had his fair share of dropped passes in Ben Roethlisberger's second-to-last season in 2020. The fans, however, did nothing to help with that.

Double-Edged Sword Of Steelers Fans

Steelers fans are notoriously passionate, which has both positives and drawbacks. They constantly pack out home games, show up to away games to out-number home fans, and brought a huge crowd to the 2026 NFL Draft. That being said, any sort of negative issues get exacerbated by the passionate fanbase.

When it comes to team performance, the fans will make it clear at contests. When it comes to individual miscues, the fans will make sure that their thoughts get to the players with persistence.

Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers fans pose during the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Steelers fans have created an environment that is incredible to play in when you play well, but the fans are certainly among the most punitive when it comes to not playing well. Whether the positives outweigh the negatives is dependent on the player, as not every player likes to play in Pittsburgh.

Make sure to bookmark Steelers On SI, and find our podcast All Steelers Talk on YouTube or anywhere you listen!

Add us as a preferred source on Google