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Diontae Johnson Roasted by Steelers Fans for Giving Zero Effort to Recover Fumble

Diontae Johnson didn't even try to recover a fumble that bounced in front of him during the Steelers-Bengals game and Pittsburgh fans were furious.
Tim Capurso|
Diontae Johnson Roasted by Steelers Fans for Giving Zero Effort to Recover Fumble
Diontae Johnson Roasted by Steelers Fans for Giving Zero Effort to Recover Fumble

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Pittsburgh SteelersCincinnati Bengals

Diontae Johnson is off to a rough start in Week 12’s Steelers-Bengals game. Not only did Johnson fail to secure a touchdown catch–though it was later determined that the play should have been ruled in Pittsburgh’s favor–but he also gave less than zero effort on a play where the Steelers fumbled the ball. Johnson simply watched the ball bounce right in front of him and made no attempt to recover it. 

Making matters even worse for Johnson is the fact that his Steelers teammates all hustled and didn’t give up on the play while he casually walked off the field as if nothing was happening. Steelers fans let him have it on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

Frustration is clearly the common emotion directed at Johnson. But this Steelers fan got creative, referencing a play earlier in the game where Johnson ran backward after catching a screen pass. 

Johnson’s effort–or lack thereof–looks even worse after a report surfaced Saturday stating that Johnson and Pittsburgh safety Minkah Fitzpatrick got into a heated altercation in the locker room. He’ll need to step up and make some big plays to help Steelers fans–and the media–forget about this bad sequence. 

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Tim Capurso
TIM CAPURSO

Tim Capurso is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated, primarily covering MLB, college football and college basketball. Before joining SI in November 2023, Capurso worked at RotoBaller and ClutchPoints and is a graduate of Assumption University. When he's not working, he can be found at the gym, reading a book or enjoying a good hike. A resident of New York, Capurso openly wonders if the Giants will ever be a winning football team again.

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