In Owings Mills, Maryland, the Baltimore Ravens have decided to excuse receiver Diontae Johnson from practice this week, following an incident where he reportedly declined to participate in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles on December 1.

Johnson also faced a suspension during the Ravens’ victory over the New York Giants last weekend. The team announced on Monday that their decision to have Johnson miss practice this week was mutually agreed upon.

With an upcoming critical game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday, the Ravens find themselves in a position where a victory is essential to keep their hopes of securing the AFC North title alive. When asked about Johnson’s potential return to the team next week, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh remained non-committal.

“He won’t be here this week, and next week will take care of itself,” Harbaugh commented.

Furthermore, when questioned about the possibility of releasing Johnson, Harbaugh diverted the focus back to the Steelers, stating, “I’m really interested in the Pittsburgh Steelers, to be honest with you. I know you guys want to hear the story, and there’s a lot of moving parts. There are reasons for doing things that are front office-type reasons.”

This scenario mirrors a situation faced by the San Francisco 49ers, who recently suspended linebacker De’Vondre Campbell for refusing to enter a game, sidelining him for the remainder of the regular season.

The Ravens brought Johnson on board from the Carolina Panthers in a trade in October. However, his performance has been underwhelming, as he has managed to catch only one pass in the four games he has played since joining Baltimore.