Steelers WR looks to copy Antonio Brown in more ways than one
The Steelers are known for having an incredible lineage of pass-catchers. That starts with the receiver position and dates back to the '70s with Lynn Swann yet continues today with recent draft picks like George Pickens and Diontae Johnson. Well, following his media availability yesterday, it seems that Dionate Johnson wants to do something last […]
The Steelers are known for having an incredible lineage of pass-catchers.
That starts with the receiver position and dates back to the '70s with Lynn Swann yet continues today with recent draft picks like George Pickens and Diontae Johnson.
Well, following his media availability yesterday, it seems that Dionate Johnson wants to do something last accomplished by maybe the best Steeler WR of them all: A.B.
Considering the drama surrounding the latter years of his career, and the recency bias innate in all humans, it can be easy to forget how dominant Antonio Brown was during his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
A.B. was named to four All-Pro teams and seven Pro Bowls, putting on a show from 2011-2018 while a part of the Pittsburgh Steelers. So while his actions off the field are often deemed questionable, his play on it was anything but.
And now, the receiver that was drafted to replace A.B. wants to replicate his career not only in Super Bowl hardware but in individual accolades. Here's what Dionate Johnson told the media when asked about his goals for the 2023 season:
"Definitely All-Pro, Pro Bowl. Over 1,000 yards. Over 100 catches. Top 10, top 5. Saying that in the most humble way. Really, that is pretty much it,” Johnson told reporters. “I pray over my goals. If I achieve them, I achieve them. If I don’t, I just keep working. At the end of the day that is all I can do.”
The last time a Steeler WR earned All-Pro honors was in 2017, when Antonio Brown was named a first-team All-Pro and finished second in Offensive Player of the Year rankings, signaling that the media viewed him as a top three receiver in the league.
So when you consider the definition of an All-Pro nomination means being a top-six player at your position seeing as there are typically three receivers named to the first and second team respectively, you can piece together the pieces on what Johnson is saying.
And to be completely honest, I don't think it's that much of a stretch. I know everyone became enamored with George Pickens last season and that Johnson had a down year, but he was a Pro Bowler in 2021 and figures to only get better as he enters his prime at age 26.
