For cornerback Joey Porter Jr., many of his stats didn’t change. He didn’t enjoy a big bump in interceptions, picking off one pass just as he has the previous two seasons. He’s still yet to make a Pro Bowl, let alone an All-Pro squad. But the one number that made a big jump were his penalties. Or lack thereof.
It’s the most encouraging part of his entire season. One of the biggest issues of his first two seasons, Porter reduced his flags to a “normal” and expected amount. A recent graphic from the PickInEm Instagram account highlighted the players who racked up the most penalty yards in coverage throughout 2025. It’s one list no defensive back wants to make and one Porter avoided.
Despite his reputation for flags, he didn’t crack the top-14.
Per NFL Penalties, Porter amassed just 56 yards in penalties all season. Here’s his year-by-year totals. This, for the record, will count all accepted penalty yardage, not just in coverage.
Joey Porter Jr. Penalty Yards (2023-2025)
2025: 56 yards (all in coverage)
2024: 137 yards (107 in coverage)
2023: 75 yards (60 in coverage)
A career-low, beating out his rookie season in which he wasn’t a full-time player until more than a quarter into the year. Compared to 2024, his 2025 penalty yardage reduced by nearly two-thirds.
It’s worth noting Porter missed three games of action with a leg injury. But when on the field, the disastrous and often stacking penalties weren’t there. That’s no easy to task. Porter regularly faced opposing No. 1 receivers and was peppered with targets. An easy target for officials given his reputation, any borderline call could go against him. But Porter played clean and still played smart without taking the teeth out of his aggressive play.
It’s just one of several reasons why Porter had a career season and is in-line for a big contract extension. Exact numbers are hard to pin down but $20 million-plus per season seems guaranteed, a figure that would put him inside the NFL’s top-ten.
The question will be if Porter can keep it up. Losing defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander, who should be credited for refining Porter’s technique, hurts. New coaches Joe Whitt Jr. and Jason Simmons must keep him focused. Hopefully, Porter can carry the same approach he did last year. If he can keep the penalty yards low and tick up his interceptions, the Pro Bowl and All-Pro accolades will follow.
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