Former Penn State football cornerback Joey Porter Jr. has a big season coming up for him with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 2023 NFL Draft second round pick (32nd overall) is in his final year of his rookie contract.
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Porter Jr., who played for the Nittany Lions from 2019-22, has limited his participation in Pittsburgh's OTAs. He's attended practices and workouts, according to Pro Football Talk, participating mostly walkthrough work and lingering on the side for the remainder of the action.
While some players often don't participate in or sometimes even attend OTAs when figuring out contract extensions, the new staff motivated Porter Jr. to still show up. He told Josh Alper that it's important for him to be there and show the new Steelers' staff that he's dedicated and worth the money.
This "holding in" tactic has become more common for the sake of avoiding injury during ongoing contract negotiations and showing the team that they still want to be there.
“I want to be out there,” Porter Jr. told The Athletic. “Everybody knows I want to be out there.”
On the flip side, Porter Jr.'s teammate and edge rusher Nick Herbig just signed his contract extension after holding out and not attending voluntary workouts for two weeks. Herbig signed a four-year, $100 million extension ($42 million guaranteed) with the Steelers.
Joey Porter Jr. doing limited work at Steelers OTAs with contract extension looming. https://t.co/MJdQHLfVS6
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) June 3, 2026
“Because it’s a new start, it’s a new beginning,” Porter Jr. said, as reported by Allison Koehler of Steelers Wire. “We got new coaches, we got new players coming in. I just want to be around the guys as much as possible and just to help as much as I can right now.”
Over his three seasons with the Steelers, Porter Jr.'s totaled 165 tackles, 31 passes defended, and three interceptions in the regular season. He also tagged on a sack and three tackles for loss over his 47-game career so far with 41 starts.
In 2025, the cornerback played and started in 14 contests, logging 52 tackles, 14 passes defended, and one interception alongside his one career sack. Porter Jr. also played in the Steelers' playoff game and had two passes defended and two solo tackles.
“I feel like I’ve been an elite guy since I’ve been in this league, and I’m glad that I’m getting the respect I feel like I’ve been owed,” Porter Jr. told reporters on Tuesday.
According to Pro Football Focus, Week 8 2023 was the last time Porter Jr. allowed a touchdown in coverage. This is the longest active streak in the NFL. After being the most penalized defensive player in the league in 2024, he cut down on penalties by nearly half.
With a new staff in place in Pittsburgh, the adjustments and improvements shouldn't be difficult for Porter Jr. He proved he can adapt and continue growing, even when he's considered one of the most talented cornerbacks in the NFL.
After Herbig's extension, Porter Jr. is next in line for a new deal, and it would be crazy for the Steelers to hold off on it. Investing in the 25-year-old seems like a no-brainer as he enters the prime of his career.
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