Plays of the Year: Johnson’s TD catch drought ends with game-winner

Steel City Underground presents “Plays of the Year” featuring the top runs, catches, hits and everything else in-between from the Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 season.

The long drought of touchdown receptions for Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Diontae Johnson finally ended on November 2, 2023. Following a touchdown-less 2022 season, the veteran receiver was able to slip into the end zone against the Tennessee Titans and grab a perfectly placed pass from quarterback Kenny Pickett for the game-winning score: and redemption.

The Steelers offense wasn’t off-the-page exciting in NFL Week 9, but there was a renewed balance with offensive coordinator Matt Canada on the sideline instead of hovering in the booth. Whether perspective played a factor in the improvements in the second half of the game or not, the comeback drive was what Pittsburgh needed to get some confidence back.

Down 16-13 at Acrisure Stadium, the Steelers defense kept the game manageable. Pittsburgh lined up for 1st & 10 at their own 8-yard line with just 9:13 left in the fourth quarter. Marching down the field with the help of runs by Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren interspersed with a pass to Miles Boykin and a deep pass to Johnson, the Steelers found the end zone on the twelfth play of the drive.

Thanks to a defensive holding penalty by Tennessee, the incomplete pass by Pickett to Johnson gave Pittsburgh a new set of downs at the Titans 3-yard line. Pickett was able to return to Johnson on a short pass to the right for the go-ahead score.

Johnson was elated as he celebrated with his teammates. The last time he’d caught a touchdown pass, Ben Roethlisberger had thrown it. Not only did his TD drought end, but the Steelers defense would keep the Titans from scoring, making Johnson’s catch the difference-making scoring play of the victory.

“655 days since I scored… I was happy I was there to get into the end zone,” Johnson said in the post-game press conference and then talked about his reactions after the touchdown. “I was just tryin’ to get hype with my teammates… tryin’ to show love.”

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