Diontae Johnson spent the 2024 season split between the Carolina Panthers, Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans. He appeared in 12 games, recording 375 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 33 receptions.
While most of that production came with the Panthers, Johnson recently made headlines for a comment about his time in Baltimore. Johnson revealed that he refused to re-enter the Ravens’ Week 13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
The one-time Pro Bowler noted that the incident led to a one-game suspension and his eventual release from the Ravens.
Johnson, who was claimed off waivers by the Texans, added that he checked out mentally in Houston as they prioritized younger guys on their roster. He is set to begin the 2025 season with the Cleveland Browns. But a three-time Super Bowl champion weighed in on his comments.
Former Super Bowl Champion Calls Out Diontae Johnson For Refusing To Play In The Cold
Johnson’s admission that he refused to play due to the weather shocked fans. Three-time Super Bowl champion Je’Rod Cherry, who won his rings while playing for the New England Patriots, ripped him for his comments. Speaking on ESPN Cleveland WKNR-AM’s “The Next Level,” Cherry stated:
“He’s accustomed to cold weather and a key part he said in all that – he was by a heater,” Cherry said. “Those heaters work superbly well. They keep you warm so he can’t say he was cold. He was just disinterested in not going in because he hadn’t been utilized yet so call it what it’s worth. You know what [41 degrees] is about. You know how to mentally get there.”
.@egoldie80 and 3x Super Bowl champion @JRCherry3 have a LOT of thoughts on Diontae Johnson saying he wouldn’t go into a game because of the cold… pic.twitter.com/eorPlzDByn
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) June 25, 2025
It is unclear what led Johnson to make his stunning comments as they will certainly put a target on his back. If Johnson has a problem with the cold, then it certainly didn’t show during the first five NFL seasons of his career. He played all of them with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Over that stretch, he recorded 4,363 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns on 391 receptions.
It’s unlikely that his ability to play in cold weather changed much in his sixth season in the NFL. If he truly has a problem playing in cold weather, then the 2025 season will not bode well for Johnson.
The National Weather Service estimates that Cleveland is four degrees colder than Baltimore between September and November – and 6 1/2 degrees colder in December and January.