The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2025 campaign ended with a thud, not a bang - a blowout loss in the wild-card round at the hands of the Houston Texans. It wasn’t the postseason run fans had envisioned, but there are still bright spots to build on heading into 2026.
One of the biggest? Joey Porter Jr. is quietly becoming one of the most lockdown corners in the NFL.
Now three years into his pro career, Porter continues to stack impressive tape. His 2025 stat line speaks for itself: 52 tackles, 14 pass deflections, one interception, and even a sack - the kind of all-around production you want from a top-tier corner.
But the number that really jumps off the page? Zero.
That’s how many touchdowns Porter has allowed in coverage - not just this season, but in each of his first three years in the league.
Let that sink in: three full seasons, and not a single receiver has found the end zone on him. That’s elite company, and Porter knows it.
After the Steelers highlighted the stat on social media, Porter took to Instagram to make sure the message was loud and clear: “3 years no TDs! Yall favorite wrs can never say they touch paint fwm.”
It’s a bold statement, but it’s backed by the tape. Porter’s game has matured each season - his footwork is cleaner, his reads are quicker, and his physicality at the line continues to disrupt some of the league’s best route runners. He’s not just surviving on raw talent anymore; he’s diagnosing plays, baiting quarterbacks, and turning into a true technician in coverage.
Despite all that, Porter still flies under the radar when it comes to national recognition. He’s not always mentioned in the same breath as the league’s household-name corners, but the numbers - and the film - tell a different story.
With 2026 being a contract year, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Steelers front office lock him up long-term. Players like Porter don’t grow on trees, and Pittsburgh knows the value of a shutdown corner in today’s pass-heavy NFL.
Of course, the Steelers have some bigger-picture questions to answer before they start handing out extensions. The biggest one?
Figuring out who’s under center next season. The Aaron Rodgers situation looms large, and until that domino falls, most of the team’s offseason plans are in a bit of a holding pattern.
But while the quarterback situation may be uncertain, one thing isn’t: Joey Porter Jr. is a foundational piece for this Steelers defense. And if his trajectory continues, he won’t just be one of the best corners in Pittsburgh - he’ll be one of the best in the league.