Pittsburgh Steelers give Diontae Johnson a unique contract extension

Entering the final year of his rookie deal, the Pittsburgh Steelers have rewarded wide receiver Diontae Johnson with a new three-year contract.

As the Pittsburgh Steelers begin to transition into the Kenny Pickett era, it is important for the team to return their top offensive weapons; that is exactly what they have done with Diontae Johnson.

Johnson, entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract, posted career-high stats in the 2021 season and established himself as the team’s primary receiver – just ahead of third-year pro Chase Claypool.

In 16 games, the former Toledo Rockets receiver hauled in 107 receptions for 1,161 yards, with a catch percentage of 63.3 percent, while finding the end zone eight times – all of which led the team.

Having been selected in the third round (66th overall) in the 2019 Draft, that takes his career totals up to 254 receptions, 2,764 receiving yards, and 20 touchdowns, with a career success rate of 62.7 percent – solid numbers that have shown clear growth from year to year, and put the 26-year-old on a trajectory to be a reliable 1,000-yard receiver for years to come.

His efforts have seen him named a second-team All-Pro in his rookie season, as well as earning a Pro Bowl berth in 2021, and now he has earned himself a fully deserved payday that will keep him in the Steel City through the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

While the Steelers themselves have not officially announced the financial terms of the deal, which was originally reported as a two-year extension but has been announced as a new three-year contract, it has been reported that Johnson is set to earn in the region of $36.71 million – with $27 million of the deal guaranteed.

Johnson will be hoping to maintain his impressive performances with Mitchell Trubisky the expected starter during the 2022 season, with this year’s first-round pick Kenny Pickett expected to compete for the starting job in 2023 – the first new year of Johnson’s deal.

Having Johnson and Claypool as options in the passing game should help head coach Mike Tomlin continue to push the Steelers to be playoff contenders each and every year, and helps to alleviate the disappointment of losing franchise legend Ben Roethlisberger, who retired this past off-season.

With the contract signed, Johnson can now focus purely on his performances on the field and fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers can continue to enjoy seeing him at the newly named Acrisure Stadium for at least the next three seasons – potentially even beyond if the two sides continue to be a fruitful partnership.