Steelers Now
The Pittsburgh Steelers have added another wide receiver to the mix after the NFL upheld its suspension for DK Metcalf.
The NFL decided to uphold the two-game suspension for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf for his altercation with a Detroit Lions fan at Ford Field in Week 16. As a result, the team has now added another body to the room.
According to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic, the Steelers are signing veteran wide receiver Brandon Johnson to their practice squad.
The Steelers are signing WR Brandon Johnson to the practice squad, per source.
Johnson, who has played in 23 NFL games since 2022, was with the Steelers last year and in camp this season before he sustained a foot injury. He adds depth with DK Metcalf suspended.
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) December 24, 2025
Johnson, 27, first joined the Steelers in 2024 as a member of the practice squad, after he had been released by the Denver Broncos. He was called up for the maximum of three games while on the practice squad, making one catch for nine yards. Johnson then re-signed with the Steelers for the 2025 season in January.
Unfortunately, he suffered an undisclosed foot/ankle injury early in Pittsburgh’s preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers. He was seen leaving the stadium with a walking boot on, and did not return to practice for the team in the preseason.
Johnson was then waived with an injury designation as part of the team’s final cuts down to 53 players. He reverted to the injured reserve list but was later released with an injury settlement.
This offseason, Johnson started OTAs with the first team while Metcalf was out, but he was unable to convert that positioning into a greater opportunity, with wide receivers Scotty Miller, Roman Wilson and Ke’Shawn Williams out-performing him this preseason.
Johnson finished the preseason with just five catches for 28 yards and a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Johnson joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in October after they had a flurry of injuries at wide receiver. However, he was released last week as they got healthier at the position.
Originally an undrafted free agent of the Broncos out of UCF in 2022, Johnson spent two seasons in Denver, appearing in 23 games and catching a total of 25 passes for 326 yards and five touchdowns.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Sign Veteran WR Following DK Metcalf Suspension
