The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering a new era of football after Mike Tomlin's reign as the organization's leader has ended. New head coach Mike McCarthy is looking to bring a new look to a veteran team that has already established its ways. With a couple of new additions and a reunion with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, McCarthy aims to start his tenure with a big season.
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) and Head Coach Mike McCarthy (right) during 2026 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
To help Rodgers as much as possible, General Manager Omar Khan acquired wide receivers Michael Pittman Jr., and Germie Bernard to go with DK Metcalf. Wide receiver has been a serious problem for the organization since trading Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers. Johnson was paired with George Pickens, and the two were a solid duo. Since then, the team hasn't deployed more than two capable starters at the position.
Johnson left the organization and never found a home, bouncing to four different teams in a single year. He last appeared in an NFL game in 2024 with the Houston Texans and had a brief stint with the Cleveland Browns in 2025, where they cut him following the preseason. The wide receiver remains a free agent, but at 30, he likely won't draw much attention from NFL teams.
The former Toledo standout recently appeared on the show Ball in the Family Podcast with Lonzo & Gelo Ball, where he talked about his overall journey in the NFL. Johnson also talked about his welcome-to-the-NFL moment, when future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger didn't speak to the rookie for two months over a miscommunication during training camp.
"Bro, that's when I was with my rookie year, bro. They gave us like 10 plays. First day, better be ready. Coach was like, 'You better not go out there messing up,' Johnson said. "RIP, Coach Drake, but he gave us the plays. I'm like, alright, I got this. Ben come walking by. You better know your plays. Come out there, I'm like, 'Alright, bet.' Come routes on air, he gave me a hand signal that I didn't know. I don't even remember, but it was toothpick or something. I'm looking around, he dropped the ball and said, 'Go down there, go with the rest of the group over there on the other side...' And then he didn't talk to me for like two months or something."
Roethlisberger has been hard on rookie wide receivers in the past, and Johnson was no different. In the 2019 season, the gunslinger went down with an elbow injury in Week 2 that required season-ending surgery, so Johnson had to build his relationship with the backup Mason Rudolph. The two would shine at times throughout the season, but after Rudolph suffered a concussion, their momentum stalled, and the offense plateaued.
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Diontae Johnson (#18) gets ready for the Los Angeles Rams in Pittsburgh, PA.
Things would work out between the two, as Johnson would become the Steelers' go-to target in 2020 and 2021. The team relied heavily on the wide receiver in those two years as he emerged as the top wide receiver. When Roethlisberger retired, Johnson's career took a turn for the worse; he couldn't get on the same page with the other QBs, which led to his departure.
Steelers Have Finally Recovered
After seasons that saw Calvin Austin III, Adam Thielen, and Van Jefferson serve as the WR2, the Steelers have finally exorcised their demons and added quality talent to the group. Pittman is a proven veteran who showed out for the Indianapolis Colts and should be a huge upgrade over years past. Not only Pittman, but Bernard as well, who is coming into his rookie season out of Alabama.
Bernard is a dynamic threat who is dangerous with the ball in his hands; he should be able to fill the wide receiver three spot nicely. Between him and Roman Wilson, Pittsburgh will have plenty of talent at their disposal in the pass-catching department; it's up to them to use their weapons properly.
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