The Chiefs’ playoff opponent got an equal release before the divisional round game

On By Littum

The Chiefs battle the Texans on Saturday in the divisional round of the playoffs, and Houston just made a surprise release ahead of the massive matchup.

WR Diontae Johnson, who fans in Kansas City widely wanted to acquire before the DeAndre Hopkins deal, was cut on Tuesday. He is now looking for his fifth team of the calendar year, a drastic drop for the former All-Pro.

Fortunately, the Chiefs let teams like the Ravens and Texans make the mistake of signing Johnson. He clearly wouldn’t have fit with Andy Reid and the offense, just the latest example of the organization knowing what’s best a little more than the fans do.

The 28-year-old began the season as de facto no. 1 option for the Panthers’ passing attack. He was on fire early, racking up 205 combined yards and two TDs in Weeks 3 and 4, but quickly wore out his welcome in Carolina.

After being traded to the Ravens, Johnson had a catch over four weeks while dealing with off-field issues that led to his release. He appeared in two games for the Texans, including the win over the Chargers, and caught three passes for 24 yards.

Meanwhile, Hopkins has become a reliable third-down option who should see an increased role in the postseason now that Kansas City isn’t incentivized to limit his snaps. Johnson is talented enough to earn another opportunity, although he has lost a significant amount of money and respect for his actions.

This does not appear to be a winning player. His body language and immature sideline antics led to his repeated releases, even though this is a guy who put up 1,161 receiving yards in 2021. With his route-running ability and strong hands, Johnson should find a second chance somewhere in the NFL.

It probably won’t be with the Chiefs, who clearly made the right decision not to take a chance on someone with as many glaring red flags as Johnson has.

Kansas City is a 7.5-point favorite over Houston at FanDuel Sportsbook with +350 odds to win the Super Bowl, indicating that Saturday could be the start of a special couple of weeks in the Kingdom.

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