Joey Porter Jr. and Jaquan Brisker have many ties, but now both of them can call themselves Pittsburgh Steelers. Both raised at least partly in Pittsburgh, the two were teammates at Penn State. After years of remaining in contact and gathering for offseason workouts, though, they’ll now take the field again. And they’re both ecstatic about it.
Aside from their former Penn State connection, Porter and Brisker also share agents. As Brisker said earlier this offseason, Porter was always in their ear trying to get information. But they weren’t very forthcoming—the Steelers even less so.
“He was always talking about, ‘Bro, I’m trying to slide to the ‘Burgh’”, Porter said on the Blueprint podcast of Brisker during their offseason training sessions together, the latter being a Pittsburgh native himself. “I’m like, ‘Bro, you’re balling too much’. I thought it wasn’t gonna happen right now. And, shoot, throughout the offseason we’re on the phone and he’s like, ‘Bro, I might be up. I might have to move around and pivot’. So I’m like, see what’s the word”.
“They’re not telling me nothing”, he admitted. “They’re not even replying to me. But they’re talking to my agents, so I’m like, ‘Shoot, tell me something’. It happened, shoot, and we’re excited. We turnt. It’s about to be a movie. Because we play off of each other so well. I know what he wants in a corner, and I know what I need out of my safety”.
Last year, Joey Porter didn’t have Jaquan Brisker but a very different safety tandem. By year’s end, he was working with Jalen Ramsey, who moved over mid-season from cornerback, and Kyle Dugger, an October trade acquisition. Not exactly the intuitive, rhythmic partnering you want in your secondary.
Of course, the Steelers didn’t sign Brisker because of his prior relationship with Porter. It doesn’t hurt, but you don’t throw millions of dollars at somebody for that reason. Brisker is a proven starting safety in the NFL, his only issue being a concussion history. But he played all 17 games last season for the first time in his career. If he is finally where he needs to be in his career, he could be a real gem for the Steelers. Still just 26, though about to turn 27, he has plenty of tread left on the tires.
And it could mean a lasting partnership for Joey Porter and Jaquan Brisker, who spent three seasons together at Penn State. Brisker ended up a second-round pick by the Bears in 2022, Porter a second-round pick by the Steelers in 2023.
The Bears passed on a long-term contract with Brisker, but the Steelers mean to lock Porter up this offseason. And if Brisker proves himself in Pittsburgh this year, he could see a long-term contract in 2027 to remain here. Of course, a lot still has to happen between now and then. But knowing the rapport already built into the cornerback-safety tandem, it’s at least a good place to start.
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