Remember December 4, 2024, when the Ravens were playing against the Eagles, and John Harbaugh suspended one of his wide receivers? We know what happened and what the suspension was about, but let’s see what he’s dropped on the internet right now. The 28-year-old free-agent wide receiver has put all NFL teams on notice after releasing a video on X (formerly Twitter).
Diontae Johnson, who was suspended last year by John Harbaugh, went viral on social media today. A video that shows him practicing hard with his colleagues went viral. Yahoo Sports insider Tanner Phifer shared the video, writing, “WR Diontae Johnson is showing off that he’s still putting in the work during the off-season while remaining a free agent.” This was a sigh of relief for Johnson’s fans, as the past year had been hell for the WR—he played for three teams in a single season.
WR Diontae Johnson is showing off that he’s still putting in the work during the off-season while remaining a free-agent.
Johnson, 28, played for the #Panthers, #Ravens, and #Texans in 2024 and caught 33 passes for 375 yards and 3 TD’s, while appearing in 12 games. #NFL… pic.twitter.com/txXpd8XZud
— Tanner Phifer (@TannerPhifer) March 26, 2025
On January 15, NFL.com reported that the Texans were moving on from Diontae Johnson after just two games. “With Diontae, unfortunately, it didn’t work out, and we’re on to the Chiefs,” Texans HC DeMeco Ryans said while providing an update before the Chiefs game. After that, Johnson returned to John Harbaugh’s team. But even before this drama, he had been released by the Pittsburgh Steelers before completing a two-year, $36,710,000 deal.
Over the past year, Diontae Johnson has scored three touchdowns while recording just 33 receptions for 375 yards. And since signing that rookie extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022, he hasn’t inked a fresh deal with any NFL team. After Pittsburgh, he landed in Carolina, then in Baltimore, then took flight to Houston, only to return to John Harbaugh’s franchise after his suspension.
John Harbaugh, Diontae Johnson, and the suspension drama
Ravens GM Eric DeCosta didn’t sugarcoat it: “We’ve made the tough call to suspend Diontae Johnson for our next game against the Giants due to conduct detrimental to the team.” This came right after their December 2 matchup against the Eagles. And according to sources? Johnson straight-up refused to go into the game, even after John Harbaugh told him to. Yikes.
Sep 25, 2022; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh watches a game against the New England Patriots during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
So yeah, he ended up getting suspended for the next game against the Giants. But this whole thing wasn’t just about discipline—it was also about the Ravens keeping him as a healthy scratch. The real spark? John Harbaugh picking Tylan Wallace for the Eagles game. That’s when things really started to unravel. Later, Harbaugh kept it vague, saying, “There are some moving parts there that we’re going to have to figure out and explore and see where we’re at. It’s the best I can do in fairness to everybody.” Basically, instead of straight-up sending him home, the Ravens put him through a rough one-week exile.
After all that drama, he got a shot with the Texans, played in two games, and showed some flashes—even in a limited role. But at the end of the day, he was still a Raven until free agency rolled around. Now? With the offseason in full swing, Diontae Johnson is grinding hard to show he’s still got plenty left in the tank. His workout vids have been blowing up on social media—now let’s see if he can land himself a deal this year.
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