Joey Porter Sr. has a simple dream scenario for his son, Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr., even if somewhat ambitious. Speaking to Cameron Heyward, who has played with both Porters, he laid out his vision on Heyward’s podcast.
“Stay here, win championships, build his legacy”, Porter said on Not Just Football when asked for his dream scenario. “Top me, obviously. Winning. I want to see him have success. I want to see him have the stuff that he should have. But I want to watch him to earn it, like he’s earned everything up to this point”.
Joey Porter Jr. grew up around the Steelers, with whom his father won the Super Bowl in 2005. That was a formative early memory for him, and he is now in the same locker room, complete with his own locker and his own nameplate.
Viewed ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft as a potential first-round prospect, Joey Porter Jr. slid out of it—barely. The Steelers drafted him 32nd overall, the top pick of the second round due to a pick forfeiture. Although he earned a starting job fairly early, going into Year 3, he is still very much growing.
The Steelers believe Porter can be their lockdown corner for years to come, giving him every opportunity to do that. They have consistently brought in experienced mentors, starting with Patrick Peterson and now Darius Slay. All of them have taken on the mission to raise him up, Slay emphasizing his ball skills.
But Joey Porter Jr. has a lot to live up to in order to top Sr.’s legacy. Dad was a four-time All-Pro, thrice with the Steelers, with 98 career sacks. As of now, he is still blowing his son away in interceptions, too—12 to 2. Porter Sr. played 12 NFL seasons, so they are both averaging one per year—but one is a linebacker, the other a cornerback. Both stress, though, that they don’t compare legacies.
Porter also wants to be sure that his son brings the right perspective with him, which can be hard there. In Pittsburgh, the Steelers expect to make the playoffs every year (even if they don’t win). “Not really understanding how hard it is to get to the playoffs, how hard it is to win a playoff game”, he said.
As he nears 50, Joey Porter Sr. has increasingly stressed legacy, and his family’s legacy with the Steelers. In the same interview, he even admitted that he would like to coach for them again. And words can’t even describe the meaning of having Joey Porter Jr. build his own legacy in the same city.
“Wanting him to have that, win, and staying here and building his legacy in Pittsburgh is…man”, he said. “Hopefully he fits the bill to where he’s part of that. Part of the pieces that they want to see here in the long term”.
Personally, I don’t think the Porter family has much to worry about on that front. But that doesn’t change the fact that this is a big season to help determine his trajectory.
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