Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. knows penalties are his big issue. Better technique, not different apparel, is his answer. Speaking to reporters Thursday, Porter again downplayed the idea that his gloves should match the color of the opponent’s jersey to reduce the number of penalties against him.
“I’m not focusing on that at all,” Porter said in video provided by the Post-Gazette. “I get that asked often, but I’m not really focused on that. I know there’s bigger things I gotta work on and clean up in my game, and that’s lower on the list.”
It’s a theory posited several times before, even by us. Cornerbacks seem split on if it’s an effective tool. Some corners color-coordinate while others believe it doesn’t have an impact. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger once called for Porter to make the change. Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin was less convinced.
Clearly, matching gloves alone won’t automatically prevent penalties. Yank a receiver down mid-route and it doesn’t matter what the defensive back is wearing. Porter is correct that improving his technique is more important than anything related to his uniform. He’s shown a bad tendency to panic with the ball in the air, causing him to get grabby. His flags also come in bunches, recording six of them mid-season against the Cincinnati Bengals, and 12 of his 15 calls on the season occurred across just three games.
Routinely facing No. 1 receivers like Porter does is a challenge. There are no weeks off. Beyond the penalties, Porter has played well and allowed just one touchdown over his first two seasons. His tackling has also improved. But there’s no question penalties are the top story with him. Until they get fixed, they’ll continue to be the focus of analysts. Building a reputation doesn’t do him any favors with officials who are more likely to watch for and call penalties against a player prone to them like Porter.
Defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander’s job is to coach Porter up. Cleaning up his technique is a priority. But Porter’s resistance to matching glove color is curious. The NFL is all about gaining the smallest of advantages and Porter is punting on doing all he can to improve.
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