Diontae Johnson might not be on the Pittsburgh Steelers if it wasn't for the late Darryl Drake, and he dedicated his performance on Saturday to him. Drake had pushed for the Steelers to draft Johnson in April's class, and although Johnson only spent a few months with Drake, he is appreciative of everything he did for him.
Drake, the wide receivers coach, passed away last Sunday in his dorm room at Pittsburgh's training camp of a suspected heart ailment and this week has been tough around the Steelers organization.
Johnson said that he didn't have worries heading into the game because he knows Drake was with him during each snap.
“It wasn’t hard for me to focus,’’ Johnson said. “I wasn’t really worried about it. [Drake] was with me every play. There was no pressure.
Johnson did say it's going to be different with Drake gone, but he is going to try and move on and just always keep him with him.
“That was my guy when I first met him. We clicked as soon as we met each other. After that, there was no separating us. … Our relationship was steady, growing each and every day. He loved me; I loved Coach Drake, too. By him not being here, it’s going to be a little different experience for me. I’m going to try to move forward and know that he’s always in my heart.”
Johnson did score a touchdown on Saturday and even though it was just the preseason he did dedicate it to the late Drake.
“That touchdown was for Coach Drake,” Johnson said. “Everything he coached me to do — I made that touchdown for him. Every touchdown I score this year is going to be for him.”
Even with Drake gone there is no doubt he will still have an influence on the Steelers organization for a long time.
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