The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers are in the middle of a two-horse race for the AFC North. The Steelers are carrying a one-game lead into the weekend, but the two teams are set to face each other again soon. Pittsburgh won the season’s first matchup.
Even though the Ravens are entering their bye week, the Steelers are still heavy on their mind, according to ESPN. The Ravens traded for former Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson earlier in the season, but the move hasn’t exactly panned out.
Baltimore recently suspended Johnson for conduct detrimental to the team, leading to many wondering why they won’t just release the disgruntled player.
According to ESPN, it’s at least partially due to a fear that Pittsburgh would resign Johnson.
“Something to keep in mind if Baltimore cuts [Diontae] Johnson: It plays Pittsburgh — Johnson’s old team — in Week 16. Whether the Steelers would want him back is unclear, but the way some people around the league see it: The threat of him sharing Ravens offensive intel with Pittsburgh could make Baltimore hold on to him,” the outlet reported.
Fans reacted on social media.
“I’m not sure we would bring him back so late in the season. It’s not like he knows the offense since we switched coordinators,” one Steelers fan wrote on Twitter.
“The NFLPA should sue Baltimore on behalf of Johnson. They only traded for him so another contender couldn’t. They obviously had no plans to play him. He’s not a #5 on that team. Give me a break. And now they won’t cut him because they don’t want him to play for a competitor?” one fan added.
“Nah, the ravens aren’t worried about the Steelers bringing him back, they’re worried about the Chiefs picking him up and having to deal with them and him in the playoffs,” one fan added.
“Nah, they gonna hold him til after the season. When some other team signs him, they’ll get a compensatory pick. They are masters of that. I hope Omar takes advantage of that rule too,” another fan added.
It’ll be interesting to see how the situation in Baltimore resolves itself.
