Jaquan Brisker and Joey Porter Jr. patrolled the Penn State Nittany Lions’ secondary together for three seasons. Now, they get to show off that chemistry on the field in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ black and gold. Brisker spoke about Porter’s role in getting him to Pittsburgh during his introductory press conference, but he expanded on his Porter thoughts in a 1-on-1 interview with Missi Matthews on Steelers.com.
“It’s amazing, ’cause in college we were young, but we were still great teammates. We performed on the field, and…we try to train with each other every year. Being able to play with each other is gonna be amazing,” Brisker said. “We got a lot more swagger, things like that, and we make plays. And that’s what the city needs. So it’s gonna be amazing getting back with Joey, and I miss playing with him. I always told him we need to link up, and now it’s here…It’s perfect.”
Porter’s most productive college season came the year after Brisker was drafted, but each player forced two turnovers in 2021. Neither has produced many NFL turnovers, each with just one interception per pro season. But they consistently break up passes, combining for 22 last year alone.
Porter will start on the outside, as he has for the last three years. Brisker will likely play a hybrid role with snaps in the slot and at safety. The Steelers haven’t determined the size of his role, but they didn’t pay him $5.5 million to ride the bench. With more talent all around the secondary, it will be harder for teams to avoid Porter, potentially opening up more playmaking opportunities for him.
It’s fitting to see a couple of Pittsburgh kids growing up to play for one of the most decorated Pittsburgh-born head coaches in NFL history, Mike McCarthy. If the duo can perform how Brisker envisions and recreate their chemistry on the field, that storyline will quickly become a fan favorite in 2026.
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