PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Steelers receiver Diontae Johnson is aware of having the most drops in the NFL in 2020. To fix it he's turned to a pro to help him.
Lou the equipment guy.
"Basic drills is what I've been doing," Johnson said Monday. "Coming out early with Lou, the equipment guy."
It's the extra work with Lou the equipment guy that he believes has improved his game.
"Get my catch routine in, what I've been doing since last year," Johnson said. "It's been helping me out. Last year, (since) the middle of the season, you haven't seen me drop a ball the rest of the year."
Again, kudos to Lou the equipment guy.
"Just by him coming out doing that and helping me," Johnson said. "That's been a big contribution to my game. I will give him props for being out there each and every day."
Drops are not an official NFL stat, but if you look past the Buffalo game where he was benched for the drops. Johnson combined for 30 receptions for 346 yards and two touchdowns over the last four games of the 2020 season.
Johnson said some of the drops last year were on short passes where he was thinking about making a defender miss before catching the football. He's changed that mentally to make sure he secures it first before making a move.
"Just believe in myself, that's the main thing," Johnson said. "Just believing in myself and knowing that you can do those things. Not worried, just like my old Coach Drake used to say 'shut out the noise'. That's all I'm doing. I'm looking forward to the season."
"It's football at the end of the day. The best of the best will drop the ball."
As for talk that it was more about the pass being on target from Ben Roethlisberger than anything the receivers did wrong. That Ben has lost it.
"People who are saying that are crazy," Johnson said. "They aren't out here with Big Ben. They can't really say. I'm out there with him, I know how he's throwing the ball."
"He still has it even though he's up there in age. I'm not calling him old. He's still got it."
Maybe Ben is also getting extra reps with Lou the equipment guy.
