Pittsburgh Steelers WR Johnson Sets Bizarre Record

The Pittsburgh Steelers narrowly missed the playoffs this season at 9-8, and the ineffectiveness of their offense was a big reason why. Perhaps no player was more emblematic of their struggles than wide receiver Diontae Johnson, who set an all-time record this season for most targets (147) without a touchdown.

With 147 targets and no receiving touchdowns this year, Diontae Johnson has now set the single-season record for most targets without a receiving touchdown.

The previous record was 109 targets without a receiving touchdown set by Michael Timpson in 1996.
— Sam Hoppen (@SamHoppen) January 8, 2023

Targets have only been tracked since 1992, but given Johnson's enormous volume, it's unlikely someone snuck through NFL history with a similarly puzzling stat line.

Johnson will end the season with a woefully inefficient 892 yards on those 147 targets, good for a mere 6.07-yard average. His problems fit right in with an overall frustrating season for the Steelers' passing attack: entering today's game against the Cleveland Browns, the team ranked 29th in scoring, 24th in passing yards, and 26th in net yards per passing attempt.

Johnson signed a two-year, $36.71 million extension with the Steelers earlier this season. His lack of touchdowns this year is a peculiar outlier: he scored 20 in his first three years in the league. He'll have every chance at a positive regression with the Steelers next season