Joey Porter Jr. Quietly Becomes a Cornerstone in Pittsburgh - And a Payday’s Coming
PITTSBURGH - Joey Porter Jr. isn’t much for self-promotion. He doesn’t need to be. His game is doing the talking - and right now, it’s speaking volumes.
Coming off the Steelers’ Wild Card loss to the Texans, Porter didn’t leave the field with a win, but he may have left with something else: validation. The kind that shows up on film, in locker room conversations, and soon enough, in contract negotiations.
After the game, Porter got a call from someone who knows a thing or two about playing in Pittsburgh - his dad, former Steelers linebacker Joey Porter Sr. The message was simple: You made some money last night.
That wasn’t about flashy stats or viral highlights. It was about the kind of performance that gets noticed by people who matter - coaches, front offices, and yes, the folks who decide who gets paid.
“He said I made some money last night,” Porter Jr. said Tuesday at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “But other than that, he said, ‘That’s the way how to end it. You felt how you felt about the Pro Bowls, about the All-Pros, and you really got to put it on TV.’”
Porter did just that. While the Steelers’ season came to a close, the second-year corner put together the kind of tape that earns respect - and eventually, dollars.
He’s got one year left on his rookie deal, but when asked if he’s looking for an extension this offseason, Porter kept it close to the vest: “We’ll see.”
That quiet confidence has become part of his identity. Porter isn’t out here lobbying for All-Pro votes or demanding attention.
But make no mistake - he noticed when his name didn’t make the list. The AP’s first-team All-Pro honors went to Denver’s Patrick Surtain II and Philly’s Quinyon Mitchell.
Porter’s response? Classic cornerback mentality: short memory, chip on the shoulder.
“It is what it is,” he said. “I’m not gonna harp on it too much.
The decisions were already made. If I really wanna make those types of things, I’ve just gotta work harder and make more plays out there.”
That mindset is part of what’s made Porter such a reliable presence in the Steelers’ secondary. Through three seasons, he’s stacked up three interceptions and 31 passes defended - solid numbers, but they only tell part of the story. What doesn’t show up on the stat sheet is how often opposing quarterbacks look elsewhere, how often Porter’s tight coverage forces a checkdown or an incompletion.
He’s not chasing headlines. He’s chasing excellence.
“Hopefully I don’t gotta say too much,” Porter said. “I’ve tried to really let my work on the field speak for itself, and I’m glad people are finally taking a little bit of recognition and see what I’ve been doing. But you’ve gotta keep working and I’ve gotta keep my head down.”
That’s the kind of player Pittsburgh has always loved - tough, focused, and built for the long haul. And while Porter Jr. might not be the loudest voice in the room, he’s becoming one of the most important.
The Steelers have some decisions to make this offseason, but one thing’s becoming clear: Joey Porter Jr. is a cornerstone in the making. And sooner or later, he’s going to be paid like one.